DeepSeek V4 Pro vs Grok 4.3
DeepSeek V4 Pro (2026) and Grok 4.3 (2026) are frontier-tier reasoning models from DeepSeek and xAI. DeepSeek V4 Pro ships a 1M-token context window, while Grok 4.3 ships a 1M-token context window. On pricing, DeepSeek V4 Pro costs $0.43/1M input tokens versus $1.25/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit. It focuses on practical selection signals rather than broad model-family marketing.
DeepSeek V4 Pro is ~187% cheaper at $0.43/1M; pay for Grok 4.3 only for vision-heavy evaluation.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | DeepSeek V4 Pro | Grok 4.3 |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | RAG, Agents, and Long context |
| Context window | 1M | 1M |
| Cheapest output | $0.87/1M tokens | $2.5/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 3 tracked | 2 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- DeepSeek V4 Pro has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.87/1M tokens.
- DeepSeek V4 Pro has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek V4 Pro for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Grok 4.3 uniquely exposes Vision and Multimodal in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Grok 4.3 for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output prices on this page.
DeepSeek V4 Pro
$566
Cheapest tracked route: DeepSeek Platform
Grok 4.3
$1,625
Cheapest tracked route: xAI Console
Estimated monthly gap: $1,060. Batch, cache, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Grok 4.3 is $1.63/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Grok 4.3 adds Vision and Multimodal in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- DeepSeek V4 Pro is $1.63/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision and Multimodal before moving production traffic.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-04-24 | 2026-05-05 |
| Context window | 1M | 1M |
| Parameters | 1.6T | ~0.5T |
| Architecture | mixture of experts | - |
| License | MIT | Proprietary |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek V4 Pro | Grok 4.3 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.43/1M tokens | $1.25/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.87/1M tokens | $2.5/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | DeepSeek V4 Pro | Grok 4.3 |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on vision: Grok 4.3 and multimodal input: Grok 4.3. Both models share reasoning mode, 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 Pro lists $0.43/1M input and $0.87/1M output tokens, while Grok 4.3 lists $1.25/1M input and $2.5/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts DeepSeek V4 Pro lower by about $1.06 per million blended tokens. Availability is 3 providers versus 2, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose DeepSeek V4 Pro when provider fit, lower input-token cost, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Grok 4.3 when vision-heavy evaluation 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 V4 Pro or Grok 4.3?
DeepSeek V4 Pro supports 1M tokens, while Grok 4.3 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 Pro or Grok 4.3?
DeepSeek V4 Pro is cheaper on tracked token pricing. DeepSeek V4 Pro costs $0.43/1M input and $0.87/1M output tokens. Grok 4.3 costs $1.25/1M input and $2.5/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is DeepSeek V4 Pro or Grok 4.3 open source?
DeepSeek V4 Pro is listed under MIT. Grok 4.3 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 Pro or Grok 4.3?
Grok 4.3 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. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is better for multimodal input, DeepSeek V4 Pro or Grok 4.3?
Grok 4.3 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 Pro and Grok 4.3?
DeepSeek V4 Pro is available on DeepSeek Platform, Fireworks AI, and OpenRouter. Grok 4.3 is available on xAI Console and OpenRouter. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-14. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.