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Baseten vs OpenScale
Baseten pairs low time to first token with dedicated and self-host options. OpenScale competes on price for DeepSeek V4.1 Flash alone.
By The Subconscious Team · Updated
Baseten vs OpenScale: key differences
Baseten's Model APIs serve about a dozen open models, including DeepSeek V4.1 Flash and GLM 5.3, over OpenAI and Anthropic-compatible endpoints, with the lowest measured time to first token at 0.49 seconds. It also runs dedicated GPU deployments, self-hosting, HIPAA and a 99.99% uptime SLA. OpenScale also speaks both formats and serves DeepSeek V4.1 Flash at $0.06 in and $0.24 out under a 50% promotion.
Both drop into coding agents with a base URL change. Baseten is the pick for regulated buyers, custom models and strict uptime. OpenScale is the pick for teams that only need DeepSeek V4.1 Flash and want the lowest bill, without an SLA.
What Baseten and OpenScale do
Baseten
Baseten runs two products. Model APIs serve a curated set of about a dozen open models, including GLM 5.3, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, DeepSeek V4 Pro 0813, Kimi K3 and gpt-oss 120B, over endpoints that speak both the OpenAI Chat Completions shape and the Anthropic Messages shape. That dual compatibility means an existing OpenAI or Claude SDK, or a coding agent, points at Baseten with a base URL change. Dedicated deployments take any model you package with the open-source Truss CLI and bill per GPU minute, with an H100 at about $6.50 an hour.
Example models: GLM 5.3, gpt-oss 120B
Full Baseten profileOpenScale
OpenScale is a Y Combinator-backed inference API built by LatentSpace and run out of Singapore. It sells open models behind one endpoint that speaks Chat Completions, the OpenAI Responses API and Anthropic Messages, so Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Cline, GitHub Copilot, Zed and other coding agents can point at it with a base URL and key. Its public catalog today is DeepSeek V4.1 Flash in two versions, standard and fast, both with a 1M token context window and up to 384K output tokens.
Example models: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash
Full OpenScale profileShould you choose Baseten or OpenScale?
Baseten vs OpenScale at a glance
| Attribute | Baseten | OpenScale |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Open weights, about a dozen curated | Open weights |
| Flagship models | GLM 5.3, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, Kimi K3, gpt-oss 120B | DeepSeek V4.1 Flash |
| Speed | 0.49s TTFT, lowest measured | 200+ tok/s; fast tier ~2x |
| Price | H100 about $6.50/hr dedicated | $0.06 in, $0.24 out (promo, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash) |
| Customization | Deploy any model with Truss | N/A |
| Deployment | Model APIs, dedicated, self-host | Serverless API |
| Long context | Varies by model | 1M context |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Baseten and OpenScale?
Baseten pairs low time to first token with dedicated and self-host options. OpenScale competes on price for DeepSeek V4.1 Flash alone.
When should I choose Baseten over OpenScale?
Lowest time to first token; Custom or fine-tuned models on dedicated GPUs; HIPAA and a 99.99% SLA.
When should I choose OpenScale over Baseten?
The cheapest DeepSeek V4.1 Flash tokens; Budget coding agent backends; No commitments or minimums.
Is Baseten or OpenScale cheaper?
Baseten: H100 about $6.50/hr dedicated. OpenScale: $0.06 in, $0.24 out (promo, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash). The cheaper choice depends on the model and workload.
Which has more context, Baseten or OpenScale?
Baseten: Varies by model. OpenScale: 1M context.
Related comparisons
Running long-horizon agents?
If your agents run past 200K tokens, compare both against Subconscious. Our inference stack treats a long-horizon trace as the primary workload, so speed, cost, and accuracy hold up deep into the trace.