DeepSeek V3 vs Qwen3-105B
DeepSeek V3 (2024) and Qwen3-105B (2025) are compact production models from DeepSeek and Alibaba. DeepSeek V3 ships a 64k-token context window, while Qwen3-105B ships a 128k-token context window. 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.
Qwen3-105B is safer overall; choose DeepSeek V3 when provider fit matters.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | DeepSeek V3 | Qwen3-105B |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | tool-calling agents and provider-routed production | tool-calling agents |
| Decision fit | Coding, Agents, and Classification | RAG, Agents, and Long context |
| Context window | 64k | 128k |
| Cheapest output | $0.30/1M tokens | - |
| Provider routes | 13 tracked | 0 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- DeepSeek V3 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- DeepSeek V3 uniquely exposes Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek V3 for Coding, Agents, and Classification.
- Qwen3-105B has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3-105B for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
DeepSeek V3
$155
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Bitdeer AI
Qwen3-105B
Unavailable
No complete token price in local provider data
Cost delta unavailable until both models have sourced input and output token prices.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for DeepSeek V3 and Qwen3-105B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Qwen3-105B and DeepSeek V3; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- DeepSeek V3 adds Structured outputs in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024-12-26 | 2025-12-15 |
| Context window | 64k | 128k |
| Parameters | 671B | 105B |
| Architecture | mixture of experts | - |
| License | MIT(OSI) | Apache 2.0(OSI) |
| Openness | Open source | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use allowed | Commercial use allowed |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-04 | 2025-02 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek V3 | Qwen3-105B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.10/1M tokens | - |
| Output price | $0.30/1M tokens | - |
| Providers | - |
Capabilities
| Capability | DeepSeek V3 | Qwen3-105B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | No |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on structured outputs: DeepSeek V3. Both models share function calling and tool use, 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.
Pricing coverage is uneven: DeepSeek V3 has $0.10/1M input tokens and Qwen3-105B has no token price sourced yet. Provider availability is 13 tracked routes versus 0. Treat unknown pricing as an integration gap, then verify the route you will actually call before estimating production spend.
Choose DeepSeek V3 when provider fit and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Qwen3-105B 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. 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. For teams standardizing a stack, that distinction is often the difference between a benchmark win and a reliable deployment.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, DeepSeek V3 or Qwen3-105B?
Qwen3-105B supports 128k tokens, while DeepSeek V3 supports 64k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Is DeepSeek V3 or Qwen3-105B open source?
DeepSeek V3 is listed under MIT. Qwen3-105B is listed under Apache 2.0. 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 function calling, DeepSeek V3 or Qwen3-105B?
Both DeepSeek V3 and Qwen3-105B expose function calling. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is better for tool use, DeepSeek V3 or Qwen3-105B?
Both DeepSeek V3 and Qwen3-105B expose tool use. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is better for structured outputs, DeepSeek V3 or Qwen3-105B?
DeepSeek V3 has the clearer documented structured outputs signal in this comparison. If structured outputs 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 and Qwen3-105B?
DeepSeek V3 is available on DeepInfra, Fireworks AI, DeepSeek Platform, Microsoft Foundry, and OpenRouter. Qwen3-105B is available on the tracked providers still being sourced. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-05-22. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.