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DeepInfra vs OpenScale
DeepInfra is the price floor across 150+ open models. OpenScale claims a lower price than DeepInfra on DeepSeek V4.1 Flash alone.
By The Subconscious Team · Updated
DeepInfra vs OpenScale: key differences
DeepInfra serves 150+ open models across text, image and speech with no minimums, and some endpoints run heavy quantization to keep prices low. OpenScale's comparison lists DeepInfra at $0.14 in, $0.0042 cached and $0.42 out on DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, against its own promotional $0.06, $0.003 and $0.24, and claims a 49% lower effective price on cache-heavy agent traffic.
DeepInfra is the pick for cheap access to many models, including small ones for bulk extraction and tagging. OpenScale is the pick when the workload is DeepSeek V4.1 Flash inside a coding agent, though its headline prices are a promotion and its catalog is one model.
What DeepInfra and OpenScale do
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 $0.09 in and $0.18 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.
Example models: DeepSeek V4 Flash, Llama 3.1 8B
Full DeepInfra 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 DeepInfra or OpenScale?
DeepInfra vs OpenScale at a glance
| Attribute | DeepInfra | OpenScale |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Open weights | Open weights |
| Flagship models | DeepSeek V4 Flash, Llama 3.1 8B | DeepSeek V4.1 Flash |
| Speed | Unknown | 200+ tok/s; fast tier ~2x |
| Price | From $0.02 per 1M | $0.06 in, $0.24 out (promo, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash) |
| Customization | No managed fine-tuning | N/A |
| Deployment | Shared API, no contracts | Serverless API |
| Long context | 1M on DeepSeek V4 Pro | 1M context |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between DeepInfra and OpenScale?
DeepInfra is the price floor across 150+ open models. OpenScale claims a lower price than DeepInfra on DeepSeek V4.1 Flash alone.
When should I choose DeepInfra over OpenScale?
A broad catalog of 150+ open models; Bulk extraction and tagging on small models; Image and speech models.
When should I choose OpenScale over DeepInfra?
DeepSeek V4.1 Flash at a lower promotional price; Anthropic Messages support for Claude Code; Zero retention on chat requests.
Is DeepInfra or OpenScale cheaper?
DeepInfra: From $0.02 per 1M. 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, DeepInfra or OpenScale?
DeepInfra: 1M on DeepSeek V4 Pro. 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.