DeepSeek R1 vs Grok 4
Complete pricing and performance comparison between DeepSeek's DeepSeek R1 and xAI's Grok 4.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
DeepSeek R1
2.2x cheaper input, 2.8x cheaper output
Larger Context
Grok 4
2.0M vs 128K
Higher Quality
Grok 4
Score: 42 vs 27
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | DeepSeek R1 | Grok 4 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | DeepSeek | xAI | |
| Input / 1M tokens | $1.35 | $3 | DeepSeek R1 is 55% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $5.4 | $15 | DeepSeek R1 is 64% more expensive |
| Context Window | 128K | 2.0M | 16x difference |
| Max Output | 33K | 16K |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | DeepSeek R1 | Grok 4 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 27 | 42 | Grok 4 |
| Output Speed | -- | 49 tok/s | N/A |
| Time to First Token | 0.00s | 9.39s | DeepSeek R1 |
| Value (Quality/$) | 20.1 | 13.8 | 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 | Grok 4 | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0030 | $0.0075 | DeepSeek R1 saves $0.0045 |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.030 | $0.075 | DeepSeek R1 saves $0.045 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.297 | $0.750 | DeepSeek R1 saves $0.453 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $2.97 | $7.50 | DeepSeek R1 saves $4.53 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $29.70 | $75.00 | DeepSeek R1 saves $45.30 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $2970.00 | $7500.00 | DeepSeek R1 saves $4530.00 |
Pros & Cons
DeepSeek R1 Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
- +Higher max output tokens
Grok 4 Strengths
- +Larger context window (2.0M vs 128K)
- +Higher quality score (42 vs 27)
When to Use Each Model
Choose DeepSeek R1 for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
- →Generating long-form content or detailed code
Choose Grok 4 for
- →Long documents, large codebases, or multi-turn conversations
- →Tasks requiring maximum accuracy and reasoning
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, DeepSeek R1 or Grok 4?
For input tokens, DeepSeek R1 is 2.2x cheaper at $1.35/1M tokens. For output tokens, DeepSeek R1 is 2.8x cheaper at $5.4/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), DeepSeek R1 costs $2.97 vs Grok 4 at $7.50.
What's the context window difference?
DeepSeek R1 supports 128K context (128,000 tokens), while Grok 4 supports 2.0M (2,000,000 tokens). Grok 4 can handle 16x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
Quality Index: DeepSeek R1 scores 27 vs Grok 4 at 42.
When should I choose DeepSeek R1 over Grok 4?
Choose DeepSeek R1 when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens, Higher max output tokens. Choose Grok 4 when you need: Larger context window (2.0M vs 128K), Higher quality score (42 vs 27).
How much would 10,000 API requests cost?
At 1K input + 300 output tokens per request (typical chat): DeepSeek R1 = $29.70, Grok 4 = $75.00. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): DeepSeek R1 = $189.00, Grok 4 = $450.00.