DeepSeek V4 Flash vs Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
DeepSeek V4 Flash (2026) and Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite (2026) are frontier reasoning models from DeepSeek and Google DeepMind. DeepSeek V4 Flash ships a 1m-token context window, while Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite ships a 1.05m-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, DeepSeek V4 Flash leads by 1.2 pts. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
DeepSeek V4 Flash is ~154% cheaper at $0.10/1M; pay for Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | DeepSeek V4 Flash | Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps, tool-calling agents, and long-context analysis | multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and long-context analysis |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 1m | 1.05m |
| Cheapest output | $0.20/1M tokens | $1.50/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 5 tracked | 3 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | Google-Proof Q&A leader | 1 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- DeepSeek V4 Flash holds a shared-benchmark lead on Google-Proof Q&A, ahead by 1.2 points.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.20/1M tokens.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash uniquely exposes Reasoning in local model data.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek V4 Flash for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
DeepSeek V4 Flash
$128
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
$575
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Google AI Studio
Estimated monthly gap: $447. 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.
- Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is $1.30/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning before moving production traffic.
- Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite adds Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash is $1.30/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution before moving production traffic.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash adds Reasoning in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-04-24 | 2026-05-07 |
| Context window | 1m | 1.05m |
| Parameters | 284B | — |
| Architecture | Mixture of Experts | Decoder Only |
| License | MITOSI-approved | Proprietary |
| Openness | Open source | Proprietary |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: permitted | Commercial use: conditional |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | 2025-01 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek V4 Flash | Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.10/1M tokens | $0.25/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.20/1M tokens | $1.50/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | DeepSeek V4 Flash | Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | No |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | Yes |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | DeepSeek V4 Flash | Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 88.1 | 86.9 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has DeepSeek V4 Flash at 88.1 and Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite at 86.9, with DeepSeek V4 Flash ahead by 1.2 points. The largest visible gap is 1.2 points on Google-Proof Q&A, 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 vision: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, multimodal input: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, reasoning mode: DeepSeek V4 Flash, and code execution: Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite. Both models share function calling, tool use, 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 V4 Flash lists $0.10/1M input and $0.20/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite lists $0.25/1M input and $1.50/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts DeepSeek V4 Flash lower by about $0.50 per million blended tokens. Availability is 5 providers versus 3, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose DeepSeek V4 Flash when reasoning depth, lower input-token cost, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite when coding workflow support 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 V4 Flash or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite supports 1.05m tokens, while DeepSeek V4 Flash supports 1m 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 V4 Flash or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite?
DeepSeek V4 Flash is cheaper on tracked token pricing. DeepSeek V4 Flash costs $0.10/1M input and $0.20/1M output tokens. Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite costs $0.25/1M input and $1.50/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is DeepSeek V4 Flash or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite open source?
DeepSeek V4 Flash is listed under MIT. Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite 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 vision, DeepSeek V4 Flash or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite has the clearer documented vision signal in this comparison. If vision is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Which is better for multimodal input, DeepSeek V4 Flash or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite?
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite has the clearer documented multimodal input signal in this comparison. If multimodal input is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run DeepSeek V4 Flash and Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite?
DeepSeek V4 Flash is available on DeepSeek Platform, OpenRouter, Microsoft Foundry, Vercel AI Gateway, and Novita AI. Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite is available on Google AI Studio, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-19. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.