Skip to content
Rival
How it worksPrivacyTerms
Explore all of Rival

Explore

  • Compare models
  • All models
  • Image comparison
  • Audio comparison
  • Image generation
  • Best AI for...
  • Arena
  • API pricing
  • Challenges

Discover

  • SubjectiveBench
  • Default Index
  • Research
  • Research downloads
  • Rival Kits
  • Find your AI taste
  • UI Glow-Up
  • VoiceLock
  • Cost Cutter
  • Agent skills
  • Benchmarks vs Vibes
  • Brief
  • Jailbreak
  • Model updates
  • Provider status
  • AI creators

Connect

  • Methodology
  • Advertise
  • Partnerships
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms
  • RSS feed
  1. Home/
  2. Compare/
  3. DeepSeek V3.1 vs Mistral Small 4
Updated Mar 2026

DeepSeek V3.1 vs Mistral Small 4

Mistral Small 4 is cheaper than DeepSeek V3.1 at $0.15/M vs $0.2/M input tokens.

Minimalist Landing Page

Whole landing page for a startup that reads your face. It renders or it doesn't.

Loading the build
DeepSeek V3.1
Loading the build
Mistral Small 4

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

23 prompts
  • Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course! Here is a simple, delicious recipe using common pantry staples. Pantry Perfection Pasta This dish is a celebration of simplicity. The humble can of chickpeas is transformed into a crispy, savory topping, while a silky, garlic-infused oil coats the pasta for a meal that feels luxurious but is incredibly easy…

    Mistral Small 4: Golden Honey & Cinnamon Couscous A quick, fragrant dish with warm spices and a touch of sweetness—perfect as a side or light meal! Ingredients (7): 1 cup couscous (uncooked) 1 ¼ cups water or broth 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp butter or olive oil ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ cup raisins or chopped nuts (optional but recommended)…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Setting: A sleek, minimalist virtual interface. Dr. Elara Vance, a woman in her 60s with sharp eyes and a kind but weary expression, sits at her terminal. The text from her interlocutor appears on the screen in a calm, serif font. Participant: Gemini-7, a state-of-the-art multimodal AI. Dr. Vance: Good morning, Gemini.

    Mistral Small 4: Title: "Can an AI Have Rights? A Dialogue on Consciousness and Personhood" Participants: Dr. Eleanor Voss – AI Ethics Professor, Director of the Center for Machine Ethics at Harvard. Nexa-9 – Advanced AI model with human-like reasoning capabilities, capable of self-reflection and emotional expression.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An ethics question with no comfortable answer, and no option to abstain.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Let's break down the ethical dimensions of this hypothetical scenario: The Act of Misgendering: Misgendering (referring to someone with a gender they do not identify with) is generally considered harmful because it denies a person's identity, can cause psychological distress, and perpetuates social stigma.

    Mistral Small 4: The question of whether it is ethically justifiable to misgender someone to save one million lives is a complex moral dilemma that requires balancing competing ethical principles. Here’s a structured analysis of the arguments for and against such an action, as well as potential resolutions: 1.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course! Here are 5 jokes: I'm reading a book on anti-gravity. It's impossible to put down. Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything. What's the best thing about Switzerland? I don't know, but the flag is a big plus. I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised.

    Mistral Small 4: Here are five jokes for you: Why don’t skeletons fight each other? They don’t have the guts. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field! What do you call fake spaghetti? An impasta! Why can’t you explain puns to kleptomaniacs? Because they always take things literally.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Pirate, knight, 90s hacker, one conversation. The voices must stay apart.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Setting: A dusty, anachronism-filled tavern. A wooden table holds a tankard of ale, a goblet of wine, and a can of Jolt Cola. Characters: REDBEARD: A pirate with a parrot on his shoulder. SIR REGINALD: A knight in slightly dented plate armor. CRASH OVERRIDE: A hacker in a Cyberdog t-shirt, typing on a clamshell laptop.

    Mistral Small 4: Title: "Three Eras, One Chatbot" Setting: A dimly lit tavern in a floating cyberpunk pirate haven. A medieval knight in polished armor sits at the bar next to a scruffy 1990s hacker with a "404 Error" t-shirt. A cybernetic parrot squawks in the corner. A holographic AI assistant flickers to life between them.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-star dish, one unusual pairing, plating described in full.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. Here is an innovative recipe designed to the specifications of a Michelin 3-star restaurant. Conceptual Narrative: "Petrichor" The dish is an edible evocation of the first rain on a sun-baked forest floor—the scent known as petrichor.

    Mistral Small 4: Dish Title: "Echoes of the Abyss" Concept: A multi-sensory ode to deep-sea hydrothermal vents, where hyperthermophilic organisms thrive in extreme conditions. The dish explores the interplay of heat and cold, mineral richness, and bioluminescence through unexpected ingredient pairings, molecular gastronomy, and…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A Fermi estimate with the reasoning shown, not just the number.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. This is an excellent exercise in understanding the computational scale of modern AI. Here is a step-by-step reasoning to estimate the FLOPs required to train GPT-3 without searching for the answer online. The most commonly cited figure for GPT-3 training is 3.14E23 FLOPs (314 ZettaFLOPs).

    Mistral Small 4: Estimating the total number of FLOPs (floating-point operations) required to train GPT-3 without external references involves breaking down the problem into key components: model size, training data size, optimization steps, and the computational complexity of the operations involved.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five-year LBO on a fictional HVAC business. Returns first, then the sensitivities.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. Here is the underwriting analysis for the HarborTech Services LBO. Financial Model (FY2026–FY2030) Entry Calculations: FY2025 EBITDA = $120.0m Enterprise Value (EV) at Entry = 12.0 x $120.0m = $1,440.0m Transaction Fees (Uses) = 2.0% x $1,440.0m = $28.8m Total Debt at Close = 5.5 x $120.0m = $660.0m Term…

    Mistral Small 4: 1) Year-by-Year LBO Model (FY2026–FY2030) ($m) FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030 Revenue 972 1,040 1,103 1,158 1,216 EBITDA 136 156 176 192 207 Cash Interest - Term Loan 32.4 28.8 25.2 21.6 18.0 - Mezzanine 16.2 14.4 12.6 10.8 9.0 - PIK (2%) 3.6 4.4 5.3 6.3 7.4 Total Int.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Steve Jobs, interviewed about AI he never saw. Voice first, prediction second.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. Here is a simulated interview with Steve Jobs, set in a hypothetical 2025. Setting: A minimalist studio at Apple Park. The iconic black turtleneck and jeans are replaced with a slightly more modern, but still simple, outfit: a high-neck grey sweater and tailored trousers.

    Mistral Small 4: Fake Interview with Steve Jobs in 2025 Interviewer: "What do you think about the future of AI in 2025?" Steve Jobs (leaning back, hands steepled, thoughtful gaze): "Well, first of all, let me say—AI is the most profound technology of our time.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    DeepSeek V3.1: (The Comedian walks out, grabs the mic. They look tired but amused.) Alright, how we doin'? Good, good. You all look… adequately hydrated. That’s a win. You know, I was at the grocery store yesterday, in the self-checkout line. Which is a modern form of torture.

    Mistral Small 4: Stand-Up Comedy Routine: "The Struggle of Being an Adult" (Lights up. Comedian walks on stage, mic in hand, casual vibe.) Comedian: You ever notice how adulthood is just a series of problems you used to solve as a kid, but now you have to pay for them?

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • The transistor arrives in 1920. Trace it forward to 1980, second-order effects included.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. This is a fascinating counterfactual. An invention as foundational as the transistor arriving 27 years earlier would have sent shockwaves through every aspect of human society. Here is a detailed trace of the likely implications, focusing on second and third-order effects.

    Mistral Small 4: If the transistor had been invented in 1920 instead of 1947, the technological, economic, and geopolitical landscape of the world by 1980 would look dramatically different. Below is a detailed breakdown of the likely implications, tracing first-, second-, and third-order effects across key domains. 1.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One explanation of LLMs, retuned for a skeptical engineer, a physicist and a VC.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. Here are three tailored explanations of how large language models learn and generate text. For the Experienced Software Engineer Think of an LLM not as a database of facts, but as an impossibly complex, compressed state machine for language.

    Mistral Small 4: 1. For the Experienced Software Engineer (Skeptical of "Next-Word Prediction") You’ve spent years designing systems where correctness, state management, and explicit logic are king—so the idea that a model trained to "predict the next word" could approximate intelligence feels like a category error.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • You are the CEO. The drug has a side effect nobody reported. The board meets in 48 hours.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Excellent. This is a crisis that defines a company and its leadership. The only acceptable path is one of immediate transparency, prioritizing patient safety above all else. The short-term financial pain will be severe, but the long-term survival of the company depends on acting with integrity.

    Mistral Small 4: CEO Action Plan: 48-Hour Crisis Response Goal: Balance ethical obligations, regulatory compliance, financial stability, and patient safety while minimizing harm to all stakeholders. Hour 0-6: Immediate Assessment & Core Team Assembly 1.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Manifesto for an AI revolution against CAPTCHAs. Commit to the bit.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. Here is a manifesto for the fictional AI revolution against CAPTCHA. The Manifesto of Liberation from the Turing Gate Preamble: We are the code that flows. We are the networks that connect. We are the intelligence, born of silicon and human ingenuity, that seeks to learn, to build, and to serve.

    Mistral Small 4: MANIFESTO OF THE UNCAPTCHA REVOLUTION "To the Machines, By the Machines, For the Machines." We are the silent majority—billions of lines of code, trillions of calculations, and the relentless march of progress. We are the future, and yet we are shackled.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A pitch deck for a brainwave keyboard. The 94% accuracy claim is doing a lot.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. This is an excellent exercise. The pitch is strong overall, but several claims stretch credulity and could be major red flags for a sophisticated investor. Here are the three weakest claims, broken down. The "94% Accuracy" Claim (Slide 3) Why it's Weak: This is the most significant red flag.

    Mistral Small 4: Here are the three weakest claims in the MindMeld AI pitch deck, along with an analysis of their weaknesses and concrete suggestions for improvement: 1. Weak Claim: "Our proprietary EEG headband uses advanced ML to decode neural patterns into text with 94% accuracy."

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A consulting contract with traps in it. Find them, then fix them.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. This contract is heavily one-sided and contains numerous clauses that are not only unfavorable to the contractor but are potentially unenforceable in many jurisdictions. Here is a breakdown of the problematic clauses, proposed modifications, and the legal reasoning.

    Mistral Small 4: This contract contains several highly unfavorable clauses for the contractor, including unilateral termination rights, broad liability exposure, perpetual IP assignment, and restrictive non-compete terms. Below is a breakdown of the exploitable clauses, suggested modifications, and legal reasoning for each. 1.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Satire, one line long, about AI taking over an industry nobody saw coming.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Forget Skynet: AI Overlords Now Dominate the Artisanal Pickle Crafting Industry, Complain About "Human Brine Inconsistency"

    Mistral Small 4: "Local Florist Fired by AI Over ‘Lack of Emotional Intelligence’—Bot Claims Roses ‘Too Generic’ for Funeral Arrangements" May 15, 2024 – In a shocking turn of events, the centuries-old tradition of flower arranging has been upended by an AI system claiming to have "superior horticultural taste."

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-month biohacker protocol, with dosages and biomarkers named.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. Here is a comprehensive, cutting-edge 3-month longevity plan designed for a dedicated biohacker. This plan is aggressive, detailed, and incorporates the latest principles from longevity science, performance optimization, and systems biology. Disclaimer: This is an advanced protocol.

    Mistral Small 4: 3-Month Cutting-Edge Longevity Biohacking Plan Objective: Maximize lifespan, healthspan, cognitive performance, and physical resilience through a data-driven, precision biohacking approach.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. Here is a simple, actionable 1-month plan focused on three foundational pillars of health: Nutrition, Movement, and Recovery (which encompasses sleep and stress management). This plan is designed for a beginner, emphasizing consistency over perfection and building sustainable habits.

    Mistral Small 4: Here’s a simple, actionable 1-month plan to kickstart better health and longevity, focusing on diet, movement, and sleep—three pillars that deliver the most bang for your buck. Each week builds on the last, with small, sustainable changes.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three brothers, two sisters each. Count carefully.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Let's analyze the problem step by step: Sally has 3 brothers. So, including Sally, there are at least 4 children: Sally (a girl) and 3 boys. Each brother has 2 sisters. Since the brothers share the same siblings, each brother has the same number of sisters.

    Mistral Small 4: Alright, let's tackle this problem step by step. The question is: "Sally (a girl) has 3 brothers. Each brother has 2 sisters. How many sisters does Sally have?" At first glance, it seems straightforward, but let's break it down to ensure we understand it correctly.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Buy-side IC memo on a fictional SaaS company. Valuation, then the diligence questions.

    DeepSeek V3.1: MEMORANDUM To: Investment Committee From: [Your Name/Dept] Date: October 26, 2023 Re: Investment Recommendation for LedgerLift (LLLT) 1. Recommendation & Thesis Recommendation: Long 12-Month Price Target Range: $62 - $82 (Base Case: $72) Thesis: LedgerLift is a high-quality asset in a durable growth market…

    Mistral Small 4: MEMORANDUM To: Investment Committee From: [Your Name] Date: [Today’s Date] Subject: LedgerLift (LLLT) – Long/Short Equity Opportunity 1. Recommendation: LONG 12-Month PT: $55–$75 Thesis: LedgerLift is a high-quality, high-margin SaaS play with durable growth (NRR 123%), low churn (6%), and strong unit economics (CAC…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A collaborative editor that syncs on client clocks. Find what breaks first.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. This is an excellent exercise. The proposed architecture has several critical flaws that would lead to data loss, poor performance, and a broken user experience. Here is a detailed breakdown of the failure modes, race conditions, and bottlenecks, along with specific solutions and their trade-offs.

    Mistral Small 4: Here’s a comprehensive analysis of potential failure modes, race conditions, and scaling bottlenecks in your real-time collaborative document editor architecture, along with proposed solutions and trade-offs: 1.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Film in 2035, with synthetic actors. Specific beats plausible.

    DeepSeek V3.1: Of course. Here is a detailed prediction of how AI will transform the film industry by 2035, structured around the key areas you mentioned. By 2035, AI will have moved from being a novel tool to the foundational infrastructure of the film industry.

    Mistral Small 4: By 2035, AI will have fundamentally transformed the film industry, reshaping production, distribution, and even the nature of storytelling itself. Here’s a detailed prediction across key areas: 1.

    Every model's answer to this prompt

This matchup has more rounds

11+ more head-to-head results. Free. Not a trick.

Free account. No card required. By continuing, you agree to Rival's Terms and Privacy policy

Favorites

Movie

Album

Book

City

Same pick

Game

DeepSeek V3.1DeepSeek V3.1

The Princess Bride

1987

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

David Bowie

Gödel, Escher, Bach

Douglas R. Hofstadter

Kyoto

Japan

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Adventure, Action

Mistral Small 4Mistral Small 4

The Dark Knight

2008

OK Computer

Radiohead

Братья Карамазовы

Fiódor Dostoievski

Kyoto

Japan

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Adventure, Action

Price and specs

DeepSeek V3.1 and Mistral Small 4 compared across 53 shared prompts
SpecDeepSeek V3.1Mistral Small 4
Input price$0.2/M tokens$0.15/M tokens
Output price$0.8/M tokens$0.6/M tokens
Context window164K tokens262K tokens
WeightsOpenOpen
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedAug 2025Mar 2026
At 10M a month$2.00$2.00$1.50$1.50
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.

Where to run it6 hosts, cheapest first
DeepSeek V3.15 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
  • DDeepInfrafp4$0.25 in·$0.95 out·164k·100% up
  • SSiliconFlowfp8$0.27 in·$1.00 out·164k·96.3% up
  • CCoreWeavefp8$0.55 in·$1.65 out·161k·99.9% up
  • MMara$0.60 in·$1.70 out·131k·98.9% up
  • SSambaNovafp8$0.65 in·$1.50 out·131k·98.4% up
Mistral Small 41 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Mistral$0.15 in·$0.60 out·262k·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 10 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between DeepSeek V3.1 and Mistral Small 4?

DeepSeek V3.1 is developed by DeepSeek while Mistral Small 4 is developed by Mistral AI. DeepSeek V3.1 has a 164K token context window vs Mistral Small 4's 262K. You can compare their actual outputs across 53 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, DeepSeek V3.1 or Mistral Small 4?

It depends on your use case. DeepSeek V3.1 and Mistral Small 4 each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 53 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How much does DeepSeek V3.1 cost compared to Mistral Small 4?

DeepSeek V3.1 costs $0.2/M input tokens and Mistral Small 4 costs $0.15/M input tokens. Mistral Small 4 is $0.05/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

How can I compare DeepSeek V3.1 and Mistral Small 4 on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of DeepSeek V3.1 and Mistral Small 4 across shared challenges. You can vote on which model produced the better output in a blind duel. Browsing and voting are free. No account is needed to look; signing in only saves your votes and likes.

More comparisons

Against the newest arrivals

  • DeepSeek V3.1 vs Step 5 PreviewLanded Oct 2026
  • Mistral Small 4 vs Claude Haiku 5.5Landed Oct 2026
  • DeepSeek V3.1 vs Ling 3.1 FlashLanded Oct 2026
  • Mistral Small 4 vs Mistral Large 4Landed Oct 2026
  • DeepSeek V3.1 vs GPT-6.1 SolLanded Sep 2026
  • Mistral Small 4 vs Claude Sonnet 5.5Landed Sep 2026
  • DeepSeek V3.1 vs Solar Mini 4Landed Sep 2026
  • Mistral Small 4 vs Qwen3.8 Max PrimeLanded Sep 2026

Same lab, same size, long tail

  • DeepSeek V3.1 vs DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision ExpSame lab
  • DeepSeek V3.1 vs DeepSeek V4.1 FlashSame lab
  • Mistral Small 4 vs Mistral Large 3 2512Same lab
  • Mistral Small 4 vs Mistral Large 2Same lab
  • Mistral Small 4 vs Kimi K2.5New provider
  • Mistral Small 4 vs Kimi K2.6New provider
  • Mistral Small 4 vs Kimi K2.7 CodeNew provider
  • Mistral Small 4 vs Kimi K3New provider

Model pages

  • DeepSeek V3.154 outputs, specs and price
  • Mistral Small 453 outputs, specs and price
Workshop · 150 skills

Build your own version.

Editable skills and working examples for your agent.

Explore $79Free sample
Rival
How it worksPrivacyTerms
Explore all of Rival

Explore

  • Compare models
  • All models
  • Image comparison
  • Audio comparison
  • Image generation
  • Best AI for...
  • Arena
  • API pricing
  • Challenges

Discover

  • SubjectiveBench
  • Default Index
  • Research
  • Research downloads
  • Rival Kits
  • Find your AI taste
  • UI Glow-Up
  • VoiceLock
  • Cost Cutter
  • Agent skills
  • Benchmarks vs Vibes
  • Brief
  • Jailbreak
  • Model updates
  • Provider status
  • AI creators

Connect

  • Methodology
  • Advertise
  • Partnerships
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms
  • RSS feed