DeepSeek V3 vs Qwen3-Max — LLM API Cost Comparison
Compare DeepSeek V3 (DeepSeek) vs Qwen3-Max (Qwen (Alibaba)) on cost per million tokens, context window, and monthly spend.
Prices verified 2026-05-20 · Pricing may change — use the calculator for current estimates
- Input
- $0.27/1M tokens
- Output
- $1.1/1M tokens
- Context
- 128K tokens
- Released
- 2025-03
Proven open model; cache hit: $0.07/1M input; can also be self-hosted
- Input
- $0.35/1M tokens
- Output
- $1.4/1M tokens
- Context
- 131K tokens
- Released
- 2025-11
Alibaba flagship; hybrid thinking mode; rivals GPT-4.1 at ~1/5 the cost
Monthly Cost by Usage Tier (70% input / 30% output ratio)
| Usage | DeepSeek V3 | Qwen3-Max | Cheaper by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light (1M tokens) | $0.519 | $0.665 | DeepSeek V3 (22%) |
| Moderate (10M tokens) | $5.19 | $6.65 | DeepSeek V3 (22%) |
| Heavy (100M tokens) | $51.90 | $66.50 | DeepSeek V3 (22%) |
| Very Heavy (1B tokens) | $519 | $665 | DeepSeek V3 (22%) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper — DeepSeek V3 or Qwen3-Max?
For input tokens, DeepSeek V3 is cheaper at $0.27/1M tokens — 1.3× less than $0.35/1M. For output tokens, DeepSeek V3 wins at $1.1/1M vs $1.4/1M. At heavy workloads (100M tokens/month), the cost difference can be significant.
What is the context window difference between DeepSeek V3 and Qwen3-Max?
DeepSeek V3 supports 128,000 tokens per request; Qwen3-Max supports 131,072 tokens. Qwen3-Max wins on context length, making it better for long documents, large codebases, or extended conversations without chunking.
When should I choose DeepSeek V3 over Qwen3-Max?
Choose DeepSeek V3 (DeepSeek) if you prefer DeepSeek's ecosystem, tooling, or reliability track record. Proven open model; cache hit: $0.07/1M input; can also be self-hosted. Choose Qwen3-Max (Qwen (Alibaba)) if Alibaba flagship; hybrid thinking mode; rivals GPT-4.1 at ~1/5 the cost. the price/performance fits your workload better. Use this calculator to find the break-even point for your exact token volume.
How much does 1 billion tokens cost on DeepSeek V3 vs Qwen3-Max?
At 700M input + 300M output tokens (1B total): DeepSeek V3 costs $519; Qwen3-Max costs $665. The difference is $146/billion tokens at this 70/30 input/output ratio.