DeepSeek R1vsGPT-5
DeepSeek R1 is cheaper than GPT-5 at $0.55/M vs $1.25/M input tokens.
| Spec | DeepSeek R1 | GPT-5 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.55/M tokens | $1.25/M tokens |
| Output price | $2.19/M tokens | $10/M tokens |
| Context window | 128K tokens | 400K tokens |
| Parameters | 671B (37B active) | Not disclosed |
| Weights | Open | Closed |
| Free API (OpenRouter) | No | No |
| Released | Feb 2025 | Aug 2025 |
| SWE-bench Verified | 49.2% | 74.9% |
Our Verdict
GPT-5
DeepSeek R1Runner-up
Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, GPT-5 has the edge: bigger model tier, newer, bigger context window.
Pick DeepSeek R1 for Web Design. Pick GPT-5 for Image Generation. DeepSeek R1 costs 4.6x less per token.
Slight edge
API pricing
Cost per 1M tokens
DeepSeek R1
Input
$0.55
2.3× cheaper
Output
$2.19
4.6× cheaper
GPT-5
Input
$1.25
Output
$10.00
DeepSeek R1 is cheaper on both: 2.3× input, 4.6× output.
Where to run it
3 hosts
DeepSeek R11 host
Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 8 Sep 2026.
Writing DNA
Style Comparison
Similarity
44%
DeepSeek R1 uses 26.7x more emoji
DeepSeek R1
GPT-5
64%Vocabulary65%
15wSentence Length13w
0.48Hedging0.20
7.2Bold0.2
4.9Lists4.6
0.27Emoji0.00
0.57Headings0.16
0.25Transitions0.03
Based on 28 + 16 text responses
Research
What we learned reading every model
FAQ
Common questions
Keep exploring
More comparisons
DeepSeek R1 vs Ox AlphaNew provider
DeepSeek R1 vs MiniMax M3New provider
DeepSeek R1 vs Llama 4 MaverickNew provider
DeepSeek R1 vs Claude Opus 4New provider
DeepSeek R1 vs GPT-5.6 LunaCross-provider
DeepSeek R1 vs GPT-5.6 Luna ProCross-provider
DeepSeek R1 vs GPT-5.6 SolCross-provider
DeepSeek R1 vs GPT-5.6 TerraCross-provider