DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) vs Qwen 3.5 397B
Complete pricing and performance comparison between DeepSeek's DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) and Alibaba's Qwen 3.5 397B.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat)
2.1x cheaper input, 8.6x cheaper output
Larger Context
DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat)
128K vs 128K
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) | Qwen 3.5 397B | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | DeepSeek | Alibaba | |
| Input / 1M tokens | $0.28 | $0.6 | DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) is 53% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $0.42 | $3.6 | DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) is 88% more expensive |
| Context Window | 128K | 128K | Same |
| Max Output | 8K | 33K |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) | Qwen 3.5 397B | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 32 | -- | N/A |
| Output Speed | 34 tok/s | -- | N/A |
| Value (Quality/$) | 114.6 | -- | 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 V3.2 (Chat) | Qwen 3.5 397B | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0004 | $0.0017 | DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) saves $0.0013 |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.0041 | $0.017 | DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) saves $0.013 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.041 | $0.168 | DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) saves $0.127 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $0.406 | $1.68 | DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) saves $1.27 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $4.06 | $16.80 | DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) saves $12.74 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $406.00 | $1680.00 | DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) saves $1274.00 |
Pros & Cons
DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
Qwen 3.5 397B Strengths
- +Higher max output tokens
When to Use Each Model
Choose DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
Choose Qwen 3.5 397B for
- →Generating long-form content or detailed code
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) or Qwen 3.5 397B?
For input tokens, DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) is 2.1x cheaper at $0.28/1M tokens. For output tokens, DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) is 8.6x cheaper at $0.42/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) costs $0.406 vs Qwen 3.5 397B at $1.68.
What's the context window difference?
DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) supports 128K context (128,000 tokens), while Qwen 3.5 397B supports 128K (128,000 tokens). Qwen 3.5 397B can handle 1x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
When should I choose DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) over Qwen 3.5 397B?
Choose DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens. Choose Qwen 3.5 397B when you need: Higher max output tokens.
How much would 10,000 API requests cost?
At 1K input + 300 output tokens per request (typical chat): DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) = $4.06, Qwen 3.5 397B = $16.80. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) = $32.20, Qwen 3.5 397B = $96.00.
Related Comparisons
DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) vs GPT-5.4
$0.28 vs $2.5 per 1M input
GPT-5.4 vs Qwen 3.5 397B
$2.5 vs $0.6 per 1M input
DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) vs GPT-5.4 Mini
$0.28 vs $0.75 per 1M input
GPT-5.4 Mini vs Qwen 3.5 397B
$0.75 vs $0.6 per 1M input
DeepSeek V3.2 (Chat) vs GPT-5.4 Nano
$0.28 vs $0.2 per 1M input
GPT-5.4 Nano vs Qwen 3.5 397B
$0.2 vs $0.6 per 1M input