Comparison · 2026-06-29
DeepSeek-R1 vs GPT-5
Side-by-side comparison of pricing, context window and capabilities for DeepSeek-R1 (DeepSeek) and GPT-5 (OpenAI). Focus: agents.
| DeepSeek-R1 | GPT-5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | DeepSeek | OpenAI |
| Input price / 1M tokens | $0.400 | $1.25 |
| Output price / 1M tokens | $1.70 | $10.00 |
| Total per 1M (in + out) | $2.10 | $11.25 |
| Context window | 164K | 400K |
| Max output tokens | 164K | 128K |
| Tool calling | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Structured output | Unknown | ✓ Yes |
| Reasoning | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Vision input | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Open weights | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Provider availability | 20 providers | 25 providers |
| Release date | 2025-01-20 | 2025-08-07 |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2024-07 | 2024-09-30 |
Quick takeaway
- DeepSeek-R1 is 5.4× cheaper per 1M tokens (input + output combined).
- GPT-5 has a larger context window (400K vs 164K).
- Only GPT-5 supports tool calling.
- Only GPT-5 supports structured output / JSON mode.
- DeepSeek-R1 is the open-weight option (self-hostable).
- GPT-5 is more widely available across providers (25 vs 20).
How to read this comparison
This page compares DeepSeek-R1 and GPT-5 on the dimensions that matter most for production LLM selection: per-token cost, context window, declared capabilities (tool calling, structured output, reasoning, vision), and provider availability.
Green highlights in the table indicate which model leads on a given row. "Leads" means lower price or higher context/capability — not necessarily "better for your use case". A model that costs 3× more may still be the right choice if it unlocks a capability you need.
What this comparison does NOT tell you
- Quality / accuracy — we have no benchmark data. Declared capabilities ≠ measured performance.
- Latency — time-to-first-token varies by provider, region and load. Test with your actual traffic.
- Prompt caching savings — if you reuse system prompts, the cheaper model on headline rate may not be cheapest in practice.
- Fine-tuning availability — not all models can be fine-tuned, even if they are open-weight.
Data is refreshed daily. If a model's capabilities or pricing change, this page updates automatically on the next build cycle.
Frequently asked questions
Is DeepSeek-R1 cheaper than GPT-5?
DeepSeek-R1 costs $0.400/1M tokens input + $1.70/1M tokens output, while GPT-5 costs $1.25/1M tokens input + $10.00/1M tokens output. DeepSeek-R1 is cheaper per combined 1M tokens.
Which model has a longer context window, DeepSeek-R1 or GPT-5?
GPT-5 supports a longer context window — 400,000 tokens vs 163,840 tokens.
Does DeepSeek-R1 or GPT-5 support tool calling?
Tool calling (function calling) is supported by GPT-5 but not by DeepSeek-R1 based on the providers we track.
Where can I run DeepSeek-R1 and GPT-5?
DeepSeek-R1 is available on 20 providers; GPT-5 is available on 25 providers. See each model's detail page for the full provider list.
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Prices in USD per 1M tokens. Unknown means the provider does not publish per-token pricing.
Pricing and capabilities are refreshed daily and reconciled against each provider's official documentation. Always verify critical production decisions with the provider directly.