# DeepInfra vs Inference.net

> Inference.net turns spare GPU time into cheap batch jobs and custom distilled models. DeepInfra sells cheap per-token calls on a large open catalog.

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

## How they compare

Both companies chase the same cost-first buyer running extraction, classification and synthetic data jobs, but they get there differently. Inference.net started by buying idle GPU time and passes those discounts through a Batch API that takes up to 1M requests per file, with completion windows from 24 hours to 7 days. DeepInfra lists per-token prices on 150+ open models, such as $0.14 in and $0.28 out on DeepSeek V4 Flash, with no minimums or contracts. If a job can wait a day, Inference.net's batch design is built for it. Its fragmented capacity suits batch better than strict real-time SLAs, so interactive traffic fits DeepInfra's shared API better.

The bigger difference is what happens after inference. Inference.net's gateway routes traffic across open, closed and custom models under one key, captures every request, and turns that traffic into eval and training data. It then fine-tunes a task-specific model and deploys it on a dedicated GPU with a 99.99% uptime target. DeepInfra has no managed fine-tuning. On the other side, DeepInfra is a public reference price, while Inference.net has few independent benchmarks or pricing comparisons, so buyers depend on its own numbers.

## 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.

### Inference.net

Inference.net started as a buyer of last resort for idle GPU time. Its scheduler aggregates small unused chunks of capacity across data centers and runs models on them, and it passes the steep discounts it gets from those data centers on to customers. That origin still shows in its OpenAI-compatible Batch API, which takes up to 1M requests per file with completion windows from 24 hours to 7 days and far higher headroom than synchronous limits.

## Which is best, and when

### Choose DeepInfra for

- Per-call pricing that is public and easy to compare
- Workloads that need answers without a batch window
- Picking from a broad catalog of stock open models

### Choose Inference.net for

- Million-request batch jobs that can wait 24 hours or more
- Distilling production traces into a smaller custom model
- Routing open, closed and custom models through one gateway

## At a glance

| Attribute | DeepInfra | Inference.net |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Open weights | Open, closed and custom |
| Flagship models | DeepSeek V4 Flash, Llama 3.1 8B | Customer fine-tunes |
| Speed | ~33 tok/s on DeepSeek V4 Pro (FP4) | Batch windows of 24h to 7 days |
| Price | From $0.02 per 1M | Discounted spare GPU capacity |
| Customization | No managed fine-tuning | Distill traces into custom models |
| Deployment | Shared API, no contracts | Batch API, gateway, dedicated GPUs |
| Long context | 66K on FP4 DeepSeek V4 Pro | Varies by model |

## FAQ

### What is the difference between DeepInfra and Inference.net?

Inference.net turns spare GPU time into cheap batch jobs and custom distilled models. DeepInfra sells cheap per-token calls on a large open catalog.

### When should I choose DeepInfra over Inference.net?

Per-call pricing that is public and easy to compare; Workloads that need answers without a batch window; Picking from a broad catalog of stock open models.

### When should I choose Inference.net over DeepInfra?

Million-request batch jobs that can wait 24 hours or more; Distilling production traces into a smaller custom model; Routing open, closed and custom models through one gateway.

### Is DeepInfra or Inference.net cheaper?

DeepInfra: From $0.02 per 1M. Inference.net: Discounted spare GPU capacity. The cheaper choice depends on the model and workload.

### Which has more context, DeepInfra or Inference.net?

DeepInfra: 66K on FP4 DeepSeek V4 Pro. Inference.net: Varies by model.

## 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 Inference.net](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-inference-net.md).

Full profiles: [DeepInfra](https://www.subconscious.dev/providers/deepinfra.md), [Inference.net](https://www.subconscious.dev/providers/inference-net.md).