DeepSeek R1 vs DeepSeek V4 Pro
DeepSeek R1 (2025) and DeepSeek V4 Pro (2026) are frontier-tier reasoning models from DeepSeek. DeepSeek R1 ships a 128K-token context window, while DeepSeek V4 Pro ships a 1M-token context window. On SWE-bench Verified, DeepSeek V4 Pro leads by 31.4 pts. On pricing, DeepSeek R1 costs $0.1/1M input tokens versus $0.43/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
DeepSeek R1 is ~335% cheaper at $0.1/1M; pay for DeepSeek V4 Pro only for long-context analysis.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | DeepSeek R1 | DeepSeek V4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 128K | 1M |
| Cheapest output | $0.3/1M tokens | $0.87/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 13 tracked | 3 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 4 rows | SWE-bench Verified leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- DeepSeek R1 leads the largest shared benchmark signal on HumanEval by 13.1 points.
- DeepSeek R1 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.3/1M tokens.
- DeepSeek R1 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- DeepSeek R1 uniquely exposes Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek R1 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- DeepSeek V4 Pro leads the largest shared benchmark signal on SWE-bench Verified by 31.4 points.
- DeepSeek V4 Pro has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- DeepSeek V4 Pro uniquely exposes Function calling and Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek V4 Pro for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output prices on this page.
DeepSeek R1
$155
Cheapest tracked route: Bitdeer AI
DeepSeek V4 Pro
$566
Cheapest tracked route: DeepSeek Platform
Estimated monthly gap: $411. Batch, cache, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on DeepSeek Platform, Fireworks AI, and OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- DeepSeek V4 Pro is $0.57/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Code execution before moving production traffic.
- DeepSeek V4 Pro adds Function calling and Tool use in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on DeepSeek Platform, OpenRouter, and Fireworks AI; start route-level A/B tests there.
- DeepSeek R1 is $0.57/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Function calling and Tool use before moving production traffic.
- DeepSeek R1 adds Code execution in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-01-20 | 2026-04-24 |
| Context window | 128K | 1M |
| Parameters | 671B, 37B Active | 1.6T |
| Architecture | decoder only | mixture of experts |
| License | Open Source | MIT |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek R1 | DeepSeek V4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.1/1M tokens | $0.43/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.3/1M tokens | $0.87/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | DeepSeek R1 | DeepSeek V4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | No |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | No | Yes |
| Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | DeepSeek R1 | DeepSeek V4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| SWE-bench Verified | 49.2 | 80.6 |
| Google-Proof Q&A | 71.5 | 90.1 |
| HumanEval | 89.9 | 76.8 |
| Chatbot Arena | 1372.0 | 1460.0 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, SWE-bench Verified has DeepSeek R1 at 49.2 and DeepSeek V4 Pro at 80.6, with DeepSeek V4 Pro ahead by 31.4 points; Google-Proof Q&A has DeepSeek R1 at 71.5 and DeepSeek V4 Pro at 90.1, with DeepSeek V4 Pro ahead by 18.6 points; HumanEval has DeepSeek R1 at 89.9 and DeepSeek V4 Pro at 76.8, with DeepSeek R1 ahead by 13.1 points. The largest visible gap is 31.4 points on SWE-bench Verified, which matters most when that benchmark mirrors your workload. Treat isolated benchmark wins as directional, because provider routing, prompt style, and tool access can move real application results.
The capability footprint differs most on function calling: DeepSeek V4 Pro, tool use: DeepSeek V4 Pro, and code execution: DeepSeek R1. Both models share reasoning mode and structured outputs, so the practical split is not just feature count. Use those differences to decide whether the page is about raw model quality, agentic coding support, multimodal ingestion, or predictable structured API behavior.
For cost, DeepSeek R1 lists $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens, while DeepSeek V4 Pro lists $0.43/1M input and $0.87/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts DeepSeek R1 lower by about $0.41 per million blended tokens. Availability is 13 providers versus 3, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose DeepSeek R1 when coding workflow support, lower input-token cost, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose DeepSeek V4 Pro when long-context analysis and larger context windows are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, DeepSeek R1 or DeepSeek V4 Pro?
DeepSeek V4 Pro supports 1M tokens, while DeepSeek R1 supports 128K tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Which is cheaper, DeepSeek R1 or DeepSeek V4 Pro?
DeepSeek R1 is cheaper on tracked token pricing. DeepSeek R1 costs $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens. DeepSeek V4 Pro costs $0.43/1M input and $0.87/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is DeepSeek R1 or DeepSeek V4 Pro open source?
DeepSeek R1 is listed under Open Source. DeepSeek V4 Pro is listed under MIT. License labels affect whether you can self-host, redistribute weights, or rely only on hosted APIs, so confirm the upstream license before deployment.
Which is better for reasoning mode, DeepSeek R1 or DeepSeek V4 Pro?
Both DeepSeek R1 and DeepSeek V4 Pro expose reasoning mode. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Which is better for function calling, DeepSeek R1 or DeepSeek V4 Pro?
DeepSeek V4 Pro has the clearer documented function calling signal in this comparison. If function calling is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run DeepSeek R1 and DeepSeek V4 Pro?
DeepSeek R1 is available on DeepSeek Platform, OpenRouter, Together AI, Fireworks AI, and NVIDIA NIM. DeepSeek V4 Pro is available on DeepSeek Platform, Fireworks AI, and OpenRouter. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-05-14. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.