# DeepInfra vs DeepSeek

> DeepSeek's own API against a host that often undercuts it on DeepSeek weights. Price favors DeepInfra. Full context and data location decide the rest.

Canonical: https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/deepinfra-vs-deepseek · By The Subconscious Team · Updated September 30, 2026

## How they compare

This pairing is unusual because DeepInfra serves DeepSeek's own models. DeepSeek builds them, releases the weights under an MIT license and runs a first-party API. DeepInfra runs those weights, among 150+ others, at floor prices. On V4 Flash the gap is plain: DeepInfra lists $0.14 in and $0.28 out, while DeepSeek's V4 Flash output alone went to $0.66 off-peak after its August 2026 repricing, with peak hours at double. DeepSeek's newer V4.1 Flash costs $0.30 in and $1.20 out at peak. Its bill also depends on the clock, with peak windows on weekday mornings UTC and every other hour at half price.

DeepSeek's API wins on fidelity. Both of its models carry the full 1M context and 384K max output, and cache hits cost a few cents per million or less, a real saving for agents that reread long prefixes. DeepInfra's FP4 V4 Pro caps context at 66K, and some reviewers see weaker output unless they pin FP8 variants. Data location may settle it for enterprises: DeepSeek stores hosted API data in China, which pushes many teams toward third-party hosts running the same open weights.

## What each one does

### DeepInfra

DeepInfra is the price floor for open-model inference. Developers treat it as the reference point for what a token should cost, with small models like Llama 3.1 8B at $0.02 per million and DeepSeek V4 Flash at $0.14 in and $0.28 out. The catalog covers 150+ open models across text, image and speech behind a fully OpenAI-compatible API. There are no minimums, setup fees or contracts on the shared API.

### DeepSeek

DeepSeek is the Chinese lab whose open-weight models reset price expectations for the whole market. Its API now serves two models, both with 1M context and 384K max output. V4.1 Flash shipped September 10, 2026 with built-in image understanding at $0.30 in and $1.20 out at peak. V4 Pro, generally available since August 13, costs $1.32 in and $3.96 out at peak. Cache hits cost a few cents per million or less, and the weights ship on Hugging Face under an MIT license.

## Which is best, and when

### Choose DeepInfra for

- The cheapest per-token DeepSeek V4 Flash for bulk jobs
- Mixing DeepSeek with other open model families on one key
- Short-context work where the 66K FP4 cap does not bite

### Choose DeepSeek for

- Full 1M context and 384K output on V4 Pro
- Cache-heavy agents that reread long prefixes every turn
- Batch jobs scheduled into off-peak hours at half price

## At a glance

| Attribute | DeepInfra | DeepSeek |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Open weights | Open weights (MIT) |
| Flagship models | DeepSeek V4 Flash, Llama 3.1 8B | DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, V4 Pro |
| Speed | ~33 tok/s on DeepSeek V4 Pro (FP4) | ~35 tok/s on V4 Pro |
| Price | From $0.02 per 1M | Off-peak hours at half price |
| Customization | No managed fine-tuning | Open weights to fine-tune |
| Deployment | Shared API, no contracts | First-party API, Hugging Face weights |
| Long context | 66K on FP4 DeepSeek V4 Pro | 1M, 384K max output |

## FAQ

### What is the difference between DeepInfra and DeepSeek?

DeepSeek's own API against a host that often undercuts it on DeepSeek weights. Price favors DeepInfra. Full context and data location decide the rest.

### When should I choose DeepInfra over DeepSeek?

The cheapest per-token DeepSeek V4 Flash for bulk jobs; Mixing DeepSeek with other open model families on one key; Short-context work where the 66K FP4 cap does not bite.

### When should I choose DeepSeek over DeepInfra?

Full 1M context and 384K output on V4 Pro; Cache-heavy agents that reread long prefixes every turn; Batch jobs scheduled into off-peak hours at half price.

### Is DeepInfra or DeepSeek cheaper?

DeepInfra: From $0.02 per 1M. DeepSeek: Off-peak hours at half price. The cheaper choice depends on the model and workload.

### Which has more context, DeepInfra or DeepSeek?

DeepInfra: 66K on FP4 DeepSeek V4 Pro. DeepSeek: 1M, 384K max output.

## Running long-horizon agents?

If your agents run past 200K tokens, compare both against Subconscious: [Subconscious vs DeepInfra](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-deepinfra.md), [Subconscious vs DeepSeek](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-deepseek.md).

Full profiles: [DeepInfra](https://www.subconscious.dev/providers/deepinfra.md), [DeepSeek](https://www.subconscious.dev/providers/deepseek.md).