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DeepSeek V3 vs o3-mini

DeepSeek V3 and o3-mini are both Conversational AI tools in our directory. This side-by-side comparison covers pricing, editorial scores, supported platforms, key features and open-source status so you can decide which one fits your needs.

Side-by-side comparison

AttributeDeepSeek V3o3-mini
Product statusStatus not recordedActive
VendorDeepSeekOpenAI
Rating★ 4.7★ 4.6
PricingFreePay-as-you-go
PlatformsModel weights, Self-hosted codeAPI
Key featuresVendor figure: 671B total parameters, Vendor figure: 37B active per token, MIT-licensed repository codeText input and output, 200K context; up to 100K output tokens, Function calling and structured outputs
Headquarters——
Launched2024—
Open sourceNoNo

Key differences

  • DeepSeek V3 carries the higher editorial score (4.7★ vs 4.6★).
  • DeepSeek V3 is Free, while o3-mini is Pay-as-you-go.
  • DeepSeek V3 runs on Model weights, Self-hosted code; o3-mini runs on API.

DeepSeek V3 and o3-mini at a glance

DeepSeek V3

DeepSeek

Original 2024 DeepSeek-V3 Base/Chat weights and code: vendor-documented MoE architecture, MIT code and a separate model license; current hosted V3 access is unconfirmed.

Rating
4.7★
Pricing
Free

Editorial verdict

Evaluate original V3 as a specific downloadable release with separate code and weight licenses; verify infrastructure and any hosted version instead of borrowing today's API price or a frontier-quality claim.

Strengths

  • Published original Base/Chat weights and technical materials
  • Vendor-documented MoE architecture
  • Code and model-license documents available for review

Key features

  • Vendor figure: 671B total parameters
  • Vendor figure: 37B active per token
  • MIT-licensed repository code
  • Weights follow LICENSE-MODEL
  • Runtime costs depend on deployment

Best for

  • Pinned-release model research
  • License-aware self-hosting evaluation
  • Historical API and model migration inventory
Read the full DeepSeek V3 review →

o3-mini

OpenAI

OpenAI's deprecated text reasoning API model; o3-mini and its 2025-01-31 snapshot are scheduled to shut down on 2026-10-23.

Rating
4.6★
Pricing
Pay-as-you-go

Editorial verdict

As of 2026-10-15, o3-mini is deprecated with shutdown scheduled for 2026-10-23. Prioritize migration of existing integrations and use a supported model for new projects.

Strengths

  • Documented structured-output and function interfaces
  • Dated snapshot and shutdown schedule are explicit

Key features

  • Text input and output
  • 200K context; up to 100K output tokens
  • Function calling and structured outputs
  • No image, audio or video input

Best for

  • Inventorying an existing o3-mini integration
  • Preparing schema and tool cases for a replacement
  • Interpreting earlier token-cost records
Read the full o3-mini review →

Feature overlap

  • The two tools have no listed features in common — see both feature lists above.
  • DeepSeek V3 also lists: Vendor figure: 671B total parameters, Vendor figure: 37B active per token, MIT-licensed repository code, Weights follow LICENSE-MODEL, Runtime costs depend on deployment
  • o3-mini also lists: Text input and output, 200K context; up to 100K output tokens, Function calling and structured outputs, No image, audio or video input

Frequently asked questions

Is DeepSeek V3 or o3-mini better?

By editorial score, DeepSeek V3 scores higher (4.7★ vs 4.6★). Both are capable Conversational AI tools, so review the feature comparison for your use case.

Which is cheaper, DeepSeek V3 or o3-mini?

DeepSeek V3 is Free and o3-mini is Pay-as-you-go. Check each product page for current plan details.

Are DeepSeek V3 and o3-mini open source?

No — neither DeepSeek V3 nor o3-mini is open source.

What platforms do DeepSeek V3 and o3-mini support?

DeepSeek V3 supports Model weights, Self-hosted code; o3-mini supports API.

What are the main features of DeepSeek V3 and o3-mini?

DeepSeek V3: Vendor figure: 671B total parameters, Vendor figure: 37B active per token, MIT-licensed repository code, Weights follow LICENSE-MODEL, Runtime costs depend on deployment. o3-mini: Text input and output, 200K context; up to 100K output tokens, Function calling and structured outputs, No image, audio or video input.

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