text model comparison
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash vs GPT-6 Astra
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and GPT-6 Astra are both current text models, from DeepSeek and OpenAI. DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is 97% cheaper per 1M input tokens than GPT-6 Astra, $0.30 vs $10. On Arena Text, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash scores 1475 Elo and GPT-6 Astra 1475 Elo (Arena, measured October 8, 2026). GPT-6 Astra has the larger context window, 1,050,000 vs 1,000,000 tokens.
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 | GPT-6 Astra |
|---|---|---|
| Price per 1M input tokens | $0.30 (better) | $10 |
| Price per 1M output tokens | $1.20 (better) | $50 |
| Cost of 10M input and 2M output tokens | $5.40 (better) | $200 |
| Arena Text | 1475 Elo (#18 of 39) | 1475 Elo (#18 of 39) |
| GPQA Diamond | 89.8% (#25 of 37) | 95.8% (#1 of 37) (better) |
| FrontierMath Tiers 1-3 (v2) | 67.4% (#22 of 37) | 93.7% (#1 of 37) (better) |
| SimpleQA Verified | Not measured | 75.6% (#1 of 34) |
| Provider | DeepSeek | OpenAI |
| Release date | September 10, 2026 | September 3, 2026 |
| Access | API and open weights | API only |
| Context window | 1,000,000 tokens | 1,050,000 tokens |
| Max output | 384,000 tokens | 128,000 tokens |
| Input | text, image | text, image |
| 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
GPT-6 Astra
Best for
- Frontier reasoning and agentic evaluations where deep-context retrieval accuracy is the binding constraint
- Workloads that can be kept under the long-context threshold, where the effective rate stays at $10 / $50
Watch out for
- Long-context billing is a cliff, not a taper: a request over the long-context threshold is rebilled in full at $20 per million input and $75 per million output, so a prompt that crosses it costs roughly double
- GPT-6 Astra is the first publicly released model OpenAI classifies as crossing the Critical cybersecurity threshold under its own Preparedness Framework, which carries additional deployment safeguards
- Vendor-reported benchmark figures come from OpenAI’s own launch material and its own harness; they are not independently reproduced here
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash vs GPT-6 Astra FAQ
Which is cheaper, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash or GPT-6 Astra?
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is 97% cheaper per 1M input tokens than GPT-6 Astra, $0.30 vs $10. For 10M input and 2M output tokens, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash costs $5.40 and GPT-6 Astra $200 at standard rates.
Which scores higher on independent benchmarks, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash or GPT-6 Astra?
Both score 1475 Elo on Arena Text; GPT-6 Astra leads on GPQA Diamond, 95.8% to 89.8%; GPT-6 Astra leads on FrontierMath Tiers 1-3 (v2), 93.7% to 67.4%. Scores are independent evaluations, not either vendor's launch figures.
Which has the larger context window, DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash or GPT-6 Astra?
GPT-6 Astra has the larger context window, 1,050,000 vs 1,000,000 tokens.
Can I run DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash or GPT-6 Astra myself?
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash is released as open weights you can run yourself; GPT-6 Astra is available through its provider's API only.
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Production evaluation
Choosing between DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and GPT-6 Astra?
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