DeepSeek V3.1 vs GPT-4o-mini Search Preview
DeepSeek V3.1 (2025) and GPT-4o-mini Search Preview (2025) are compact production models from DeepSeek and OpenAI. Both ship a 128K-token context window. On pricing, GPT-4o-mini Search Preview costs $0.15/1M input tokens versus $0.27/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads. It focuses on practical selection signals rather than broad model-family marketing.
GPT-4o-mini Search Preview is ~80% cheaper at $0.15/1M; pay for DeepSeek V3.1 only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | DeepSeek V3.1 | GPT-4o-mini Search Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | provider-routed production | provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | RAG, Long context, and Classification |
| Context window | 128K | 128K |
| Cheapest output | $1/1M tokens | $0.60/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 10 tracked | 3 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 shared | 0 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- DeepSeek V3.1 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- DeepSeek V3.1 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and route flexibility.
- DeepSeek V3.1 uniquely exposes Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek V3.1 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- GPT-4o-mini Search Preview has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.60/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags GPT-4o-mini Search Preview for RAG, Long context, and Classification.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
DeepSeek V3.1
$466
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Novita AI
GPT-4o-mini Search Preview
$270
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $196. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GPT-4o-mini Search Preview is $0.40/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Code execution before moving production traffic.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- DeepSeek V3.1 is $0.40/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- DeepSeek V3.1 adds Code execution in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-08-21 | 2025-02-26 |
| Context window | 128K | 128K |
| Parameters | 671B total, 37B active (MoE) | — |
| Architecture | Mixture of Experts | Decoder Only |
| License | MITOSI-approved | Proprietary |
| Openness | Open source | Proprietary |
| Weights | Unknown | Not released |
| Code | Unknown | Unknown |
| Commercial use | Permitted | Restricted |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | 2023-10 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek V3.1 | GPT-4o-mini Search Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.27/1M tokens | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Output price | $1/1M tokens | $0.60/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | DeepSeek V3.1 | GPT-4o-mini Search Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | No |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| JSON / Tool use | No | No |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark scores are currently available for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on code execution: DeepSeek V3.1. Both models share 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 V3.1 lists $0.27/1M input and $1/1M output tokens on the cheapest listed provider, while GPT-4o-mini Search Preview lists $0.15/1M input and $0.60/1M output tokens on the cheapest listed provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts GPT-4o-mini Search Preview lower by about $0.20 per million blended tokens. Availability is 10 providers versus 3, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose DeepSeek V3.1 when coding workflow support, larger context windows, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose GPT-4o-mini Search Preview when provider fit and lower input-token cost are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship. This keeps the decision grounded in measurable tradeoffs instead of brand-level assumptions. It also helps separate model capability from provider packaging, which can change cost and latency.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, DeepSeek V3.1 or GPT-4o-mini Search Preview?
DeepSeek V3.1 supports 128K tokens, while GPT-4o-mini Search Preview 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 V3.1 or GPT-4o-mini Search Preview?
GPT-4o-mini Search Preview is cheaper on listed token pricing. DeepSeek V3.1 costs $0.27/1M input and $1/1M output tokens. GPT-4o-mini Search Preview costs $0.15/1M input and $0.60/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is DeepSeek V3.1 or GPT-4o-mini Search Preview open source?
DeepSeek V3.1 is listed under MIT. GPT-4o-mini Search Preview is listed under Proprietary. 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 structured outputs, DeepSeek V3.1 or GPT-4o-mini Search Preview?
Both DeepSeek V3.1 and GPT-4o-mini Search Preview expose structured outputs. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Which is better for code execution, DeepSeek V3.1 or GPT-4o-mini Search Preview?
DeepSeek V3.1 has the clearer documented code execution signal in this comparison. If code execution is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run DeepSeek V3.1 and GPT-4o-mini Search Preview?
DeepSeek V3.1 is available on Microsoft Foundry, Fireworks AI, OpenRouter, NVIDIA NIM, and Together AI. GPT-4o-mini Search Preview is available on OpenRouter, Vercel AI Gateway, and OpenAI API. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-10-17. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.