text model comparison
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash vs Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite are both current text models, from DeepSeek and Google. Both cost $0.30 per 1M input tokens. On Arena Text, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash scores 1475 Elo and Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite 1455 Elo (Arena, measured October 8, 2026). Both accept about 1.05M tokens of context (1,048,576 and 1,000,000).
Data verified October 12, 2026 · Dataset 2026-10-12
Side by side
Standard-tier prices in effect today. The better value in each row is highlighted.
| Fact | DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Price per 1M input tokens | $0.30 | $0.30 |
| Price per 1M output tokens | $1.20 (better) | $2.50 |
| Cost of 10M input and 2M output tokens | $5.40 (better) | $8 |
| Arena Text | 1475 Elo (#18 of 39) (better) | 1455 Elo (#27 of 39) |
| GPQA Diamond | 89.8% (#25 of 37) (better) | 83.3% (#32 of 37) |
| FrontierMath Tiers 1-3 (v2) | 67.4% (#22 of 37) (better) | 26% (#34 of 37) |
| Provider | DeepSeek | |
| Release date | September 10, 2026 | July 21, 2026 |
| Access | API and open weights | API only |
| Context window | 1,000,000 tokens | 1,048,576 tokens |
| Max output | 384,000 tokens | 65,536 tokens |
| Input | text, image | text, image, audio, video |
| Output | text | text |
When to choose each
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash
Best for
- High-volume agent and multimodal workloads where per-token cost dominates
- Teams that want a frontier-adjacent model they can also self-host under MIT terms
Watch out for
- The recorded API rates are the peak-hour prices; DeepSeek charges half outside 01:00-04:00 and 06:00-10:00 UTC on weekdays
- Running the open weights moves cost to your own infrastructure, which the token rates here do not represent
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
Best for
- High-volume extraction, structured parsing, and cost-sensitive subagent trials
Watch out for
- The represented prices are standard API rates; batch, flex, and priority consumption use different rates
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash vs Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite FAQ
Which is cheaper, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash or Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite?
Both cost $0.30 per 1M input tokens. For 10M input and 2M output tokens, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash costs $5.40 and Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite $8 at standard rates.
Which scores higher on independent benchmarks, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash or Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite?
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash leads on Arena Text, 1475 Elo to 1455 Elo; DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash leads on GPQA Diamond, 89.8% to 83.3%; DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash leads on FrontierMath Tiers 1-3 (v2), 67.4% to 26%. Scores are independent evaluations, not either vendor's launch figures.
Which has the larger context window, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash or Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite?
Both accept about 1.05M tokens of context (1,048,576 and 1,000,000).
Can I run DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash or Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite myself?
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is released as open weights you can run yourself; Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is available through its provider's API only.
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Production evaluation
Choosing between DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite?
Public benchmarks narrow the shortlist. We run both on your own tasks, data and cost limits, then build the routing and review controls to run the winner in production.
- A head-to-head evaluation on your real workload
- Routing between models by cost and difficulty