DeepSeek R1 vs GPT-4o Mini
Complete pricing and performance comparison between DeepSeek's DeepSeek R1 and OpenAI's GPT-4o Mini.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
GPT-4o Mini
9.0x cheaper input, 9.0x cheaper output
Larger Context
DeepSeek R1
128K vs 128K
Higher Quality
DeepSeek R1
Score: 27 vs 13
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | DeepSeek R1 | GPT-4o Mini | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | DeepSeek | OpenAI | |
| Input / 1M tokens | $1.35 | $0.15 | GPT-4o Mini is 89% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $5.4 | $0.6 | GPT-4o Mini is 89% more expensive |
| Context Window | 128K | 128K | Same |
| Max Output | 33K | 16K | |
| Tokenizer | cl100k_base | o200k_base |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | DeepSeek R1 | GPT-4o Mini | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 27 | 13 | DeepSeek R1 |
| Output Speed | -- | 61 tok/s | N/A |
| Time to First Token | 0.00s | 0.58s | DeepSeek R1 |
| Value (Quality/$) | 20.1 | 84.0 | Higher = better value |
Benchmark data from Artificial Analysis. Quality Index is a composite score across reasoning, coding, and knowledge tasks.
Cost at Scale
Estimated cost at different usage levels (3:1 input-to-output token ratio, typical for chat).
| Usage | DeepSeek R1 | GPT-4o Mini | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0030 | $0.0003 | GPT-4o Mini saves $0.0026 |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.030 | $0.0033 | GPT-4o Mini saves $0.026 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.297 | $0.033 | GPT-4o Mini saves $0.264 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $2.97 | $0.330 | GPT-4o Mini saves $2.64 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $29.70 | $3.30 | GPT-4o Mini saves $26.40 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $2970.00 | $330.00 | GPT-4o Mini saves $2640.00 |
Pros & Cons
DeepSeek R1 Strengths
- +Higher max output tokens
- +Higher quality score (27 vs 13)
GPT-4o Mini Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
When to Use Each Model
Choose DeepSeek R1 for
- →Generating long-form content or detailed code
- →Tasks requiring maximum accuracy and reasoning
Choose GPT-4o Mini for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, DeepSeek R1 or GPT-4o Mini?
For input tokens, GPT-4o Mini is 9.0x cheaper at $0.15/1M tokens. For output tokens, GPT-4o Mini is 9.0x cheaper at $0.6/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), DeepSeek R1 costs $2.97 vs GPT-4o Mini at $0.330.
What's the context window difference?
DeepSeek R1 supports 128K context (128,000 tokens), while GPT-4o Mini supports 128K (128,000 tokens). GPT-4o Mini can handle 1x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
Quality Index: DeepSeek R1 scores 27 vs GPT-4o Mini at 13.
When should I choose DeepSeek R1 over GPT-4o Mini?
Choose DeepSeek R1 when you need: Higher max output tokens, Higher quality score (27 vs 13). Choose GPT-4o Mini when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens.
How much would 10,000 API requests cost?
At 1K input + 300 output tokens per request (typical chat): DeepSeek R1 = $29.70, GPT-4o Mini = $3.30. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): DeepSeek R1 = $189.00, GPT-4o Mini = $21.00.