DeepInfra vs Particle.AI

Two cheap hosts for Flash-class open models, with DeepInfra now lower on DeepSeek V4 Flash. Particle offers 1M context on every listing. DeepInfra offers a far bigger catalog.

By The Subconscious Team · Updated October 29, 2026

DeepInfra vs Particle.AI: key differences

On price DeepInfra is ahead. Particle's own API lists DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 at $0.25 in and $1 out, while DeepInfra lists DeepSeek V4 Flash at $0.09 in and $0.18 out and V4 Flash 0731 at $0.06 in and $0.18 out. Particle's other models are its own Particle-1 at $0.25 in and $1 out and GLM 5.3 Flash at $0.15 in and $0.50 out, all with 1M context and cache reads at $0.03 per million. That full context is a real point for Particle, since some of DeepInfra's quantized endpoints shorten context. Teams should check each DeepInfra model's precision and window before assuming parity.

Everything else favors DeepInfra's scale. It carries 200+ models across text, image and speech, has raised a $107M Series B backed by NVIDIA and Samsung, and sells directly with no minimums or contracts. Particle is a very early startup, still hiring its founding team, with a tiny catalog, and its own API only launched in October 2026. Vercel AI Gateway shows about 1.9 seconds to first token on Particle-1. Particle works well as a price-optimized fallback route inside a gateway. DeepInfra works as a primary host.

What DeepInfra and Particle.AI 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 200+ 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 profile

Particle.AI

Particle AI is an early San Francisco infrastructure startup with a mission to make intelligence as cheap and abundant as electricity. The team works on post-training, inference optimization and distributed systems, all aimed at pushing down cost per unit of intelligence. It is still hiring its founding team and works fully in person. Mixpanel founder Suhail Doshi started it, with backing from Y Combinator, 8VC, Caffeinated Capital and angels including Patrick Collison, Adam D'Angelo and Aaron Levie.

Example models: Particle-1, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, GLM 5.3 Flash

Full Particle.AI profile

Should you choose DeepInfra or Particle.AI?

DeepInfra

Choose DeepInfra for

A primary host with a broad catalog and direct billing
Workloads that need models beyond DeepSeek and GLM Flash
Teams that want an established vendor

Particle.AI

Choose Particle.AI for

Full 1M context on cheap Flash-class models
A fallback route inside Vercel AI Gateway with no new contract
Cache-heavy calls with reads at $0.03 per million

DeepInfra vs Particle.AI at a glance

Attribute	DeepInfra	Particle.AI
Model access	Open weights	Open weights plus its own Particle-1 tune
Flagship models	DeepSeek V4 Flash, Llama 3.1 8B	Particle-1, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, GLM 5.3 Flash
Speed	Unknown	~110 tok/s on Particle-1 (Vercel AI Gateway)
Price	From $0.02 per 1M	$0.15 in, $0.50 out (GLM 5.3 Flash); $0.25 in, $1 out (Particle-1)
Customization	No managed fine-tuning	Unknown
Deployment	Shared API, no contracts	Serverless API, Vercel AI Gateway
Long context	1M on DeepSeek V4 Pro	1M

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between DeepInfra and Particle.AI?

Two cheap hosts for Flash-class open models, with DeepInfra now lower on DeepSeek V4 Flash. Particle offers 1M context on every listing. DeepInfra offers a far bigger catalog.

When should I choose DeepInfra over Particle.AI?

A primary host with a broad catalog and direct billing; Workloads that need models beyond DeepSeek and GLM Flash; Teams that want an established vendor.

When should I choose Particle.AI over DeepInfra?

Full 1M context on cheap Flash-class models; A fallback route inside Vercel AI Gateway with no new contract; Cache-heavy calls with reads at $0.03 per million.

Is DeepInfra or Particle.AI cheaper?

DeepInfra: From $0.02 per 1M. Particle.AI: $0.15 in, $0.50 out (GLM 5.3 Flash); $0.25 in, $1 out (Particle-1). The cheaper choice depends on the model and workload.

Which has more context, DeepInfra or Particle.AI?

DeepInfra: 1M on DeepSeek V4 Pro. Particle.AI: 1M.

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.

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