# Inference.net vs OpenScale

> Inference.net sells cheap batch inference and a path to custom models. OpenScale sells cheap real-time DeepSeek V4.1 Flash for coding agents.

Canonical: https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/inference-net-vs-openscale · By The Subconscious Team · Updated October 11, 2026

## How they compare

Inference.net runs batch jobs on spare data center GPU time with 24-hour to 7-day windows, routes traffic through a gateway that turns it into training data, and fine-tunes and deploys task-specific models on dedicated GPUs with a 99.99% uptime target. OpenScale serves DeepSeek V4.1 Flash at $0.06 in, $0.003 cached and $0.24 out per million tokens under a 50% promotion, at 200+ tokens per second, with a fast tier at about twice the speed. It speaks the Anthropic, OpenAI Responses and Chat Completions formats.

Inference.net is the pick for large offline jobs and for replacing a narrow workload with a distilled custom model. OpenScale is the pick for interactive coding agents that need a low price per call right away, with no batch window.

## What each one does

### 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.

### OpenScale

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.

## Which is best, and when

### Choose Inference.net for

- Large batch jobs with long windows
- Custom models from production traces
- Dedicated GPUs with an uptime target

### Choose OpenScale for

- Cheap real-time DeepSeek V4.1 Flash calls
- Interactive coding agents
- Quick setup in Claude Code or Codex

## At a glance

| Attribute | Inference.net | OpenScale |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Open, closed and custom | Open weights |
| Flagship models | Schematron, ClipTagger, customer fine-tunes | DeepSeek V4.1 Flash |
| Speed | Batch windows of 24h to 7 days | 200+ tok/s; fast tier ~2x |
| Price | Free pay-as-you-go; Growth $250/mo; B200 $9.98/hr | $0.06 in, $0.24 out (promo, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash) |
| Customization | Distill traces into custom models | N/A |
| Deployment | Batch API, gateway, dedicated GPUs | Serverless API |
| Long context | Varies by model | 1M context |

## FAQ

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

Inference.net sells cheap batch inference and a path to custom models. OpenScale sells cheap real-time DeepSeek V4.1 Flash for coding agents.

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

Large batch jobs with long windows; Custom models from production traces; Dedicated GPUs with an uptime target.

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

Cheap real-time DeepSeek V4.1 Flash calls; Interactive coding agents; Quick setup in Claude Code or Codex.

### Is Inference.net or OpenScale cheaper?

Inference.net: Free pay-as-you-go; Growth $250/mo; B200 $9.98/hr. 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, Inference.net or OpenScale?

Inference.net: Varies by model. OpenScale: 1M context.

## Running long-horizon agents?

If your agents run past 200K tokens, compare both against Subconscious: [Subconscious vs Inference.net](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-inference-net.md), [Subconscious vs OpenScale](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-openscale.md).

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