LLM Reference

DeepSeek V4 Pro vs o3-pro

DeepSeek V4 Pro (2026) and o3-pro (2025) are frontier-tier reasoning models from DeepSeek and OpenAI. DeepSeek V4 Pro ships a 1m-token context window, while o3-pro ships a 200k-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, DeepSeek V4 Pro leads by 6.1 pts. On pricing, DeepSeek V4 Pro costs $0.43/1M input tokens versus $20/1M 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.

DeepSeek V4 Pro is ~4498% cheaper at $0.43/1M; pay for o3-pro only for coding workflow support.

Decision scorecard

Local evidence first
SignalDeepSeek V4 Proo3-pro
Best forreasoning-heavy apps, tool-calling agents, and long-context analysisreasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents
Decision fitCoding, RAG, and AgentsCoding, RAG, and Agents
Context window1m200k
Cheapest output$0.87/1M tokens$80/1M tokens
Provider routes5 tracked3 tracked
Shared benchmarksGoogle-Proof Q&A leader1 rows

Decision tradeoffs

Choose DeepSeek V4 Pro when...
  • DeepSeek V4 Pro holds a shared-benchmark lead on Google-Proof Q&A, ahead by 6.1 points.
  • DeepSeek V4 Pro has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
  • 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.
Choose o3-pro when...
  • o3-pro uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local model data.
  • Local decision data tags o3-pro 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.

Lower estimate DeepSeek V4 Pro

DeepSeek V4 Pro

$566

Cheapest tracked route/tier: DeepSeek Platform

o3-pro

$36,000

Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter

Estimated monthly gap: $35,435. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.

Switch friction

DeepSeek V4 Pro -> o3-pro
  • Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
  • o3-pro is $79.13/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
  • o3-pro adds Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local capability data.
o3-pro -> DeepSeek V4 Pro
  • Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
  • DeepSeek V4 Pro is $79.13/1M 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.

Specs

Specification
Released2026-04-242025-06-10
Context window1m200k
Parameters1.6T
ArchitectureMixture of Experts (MoE) with CSA+HCA hybrid attentiondecoder only
LicenseMIT(OSI)Proprietary
OpennessOpen sourceProprietary
Commercial useCommercial use allowedCommercial use with conditions
Knowledge cutoff-2025-08

Pricing and availability

Pricing attributeDeepSeek V4 Proo3-pro
Input price$0.43/1M tokens$20/1M tokens
Output price$0.87/1M tokens$80/1M tokens
Providers

Capabilities

CapabilityDeepSeek V4 Proo3-pro
VisionNoYes
MultimodalNoYes
ReasoningYesYes
Function callingYesYes
Tool useYesYes
Structured outputsYesYes
Code executionNoYes
IDE integrationNoNo
Computer useNoNo
Parallel agentsNoNo

Benchmarks

BenchmarkDeepSeek V4 Proo3-pro
Google-Proof Q&A90.184.0

Deep dive

On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has DeepSeek V4 Pro at 90.1 and o3-pro at 84, with DeepSeek V4 Pro ahead by 6.1 points. The largest visible gap is 6.1 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: o3-pro, multimodal input: o3-pro, and code execution: o3-pro. 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 on the cheapest tracked provider, while o3-pro lists $20/1M input and $80/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts DeepSeek V4 Pro lower by about $37.43 per million blended tokens. Availability is 5 providers versus 3, so concentration risk also matters.

Choose DeepSeek V4 Pro when long-context analysis, larger context windows, and lower input-token cost are central to the workload. Choose o3-pro when coding workflow support 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 Pro or o3-pro?

DeepSeek V4 Pro supports 1m tokens, while o3-pro supports 200k 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 o3-pro?

DeepSeek V4 Pro is cheaper on tracked token pricing. DeepSeek V4 Pro costs $0.43/1M input and $0.87/1M output tokens. o3-pro costs $20/1M input and $80/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.

Is DeepSeek V4 Pro or o3-pro open source?

DeepSeek V4 Pro is listed under MIT. o3-pro 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 o3-pro?

o3-pro 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 o3-pro?

o3-pro 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 o3-pro?

DeepSeek V4 Pro is available on DeepSeek Platform, Fireworks AI, OpenRouter, Vercel AI Gateway, and Novita AI. o3-pro is available on OpenRouter, OpenAI API, and Vercel AI Gateway. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.

Continue comparing

Last reviewed: 2026-05-31. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.