Comparisons › Llama vs DeepSeek: open-weight models compared

Llama vs DeepSeek: open-weight models compared

Open-weight models have become the value baseline of the industry. Llama and DeepSeek are the two biggest names — here's how their API costs compare.

Value verdict: on intelligence per $1, DeepSeek currently comes out ahead — 218,182 vs 167,832. Prices move often, so recheck the calculator regularly.

At a glance

Model compared

Llama	DeepSeek	DeepSeek
Flagship model	Llama 4 Maverick	DeepSeek V4 Pro
Input / 1M	$0.19	$0.66
Output / 1M	$0.65	$1.98
Intelligence index	9	36
Tokens / $1	1.9M	606.1k
Intelligence / $1	167,832	218,182
Cheapest plan	—	—

API pricing

Llama 4 Maverick via API providers costs about $0.20 per 1M input and $0.70 per 1M output. DeepSeek V4 Pro is about $0.66 / $1.98 (off-peak). On input-heavy workloads Llama is cheaper; on output DeepSeek is pricier but far more capable.

Intelligence per dollar

DeepSeek V4 Pro scores far higher on intelligence per dollar thanks to a much stronger benchmark index at a similar price. Llama 4's value depends heavily on which host serves it.

The verdict

As open-weight options, both are great for self-hosting and customisation. If you're buying tokens through an API, DeepSeek currently delivers more intelligence per dollar. If you're serving Llama yourself, costs become a hardware question.

Bottom line: For API tokens DeepSeek delivers more intelligence per dollar; Llama's appeal is self-hosting and control. Buying tokens? DeepSeek. Serving your own weights? Llama.