DeepSeek · language model
DeepSeek V4.1 Flash: pricing, context and benchmarks
DeepSeek V4.1 Flash is a language model from DeepSeek released on September 10, 2026. It costs $0.02 per million input tokens and $1 per million output tokens, with a 1M-token context window. Epoch AI ranks it #32 of 125 rated models.
What you need to know about DeepSeek V4.1 Flash
DeepSeek V4.1 Flash was released by DeepSeek (China) on September 10, 2026. It accepts text and images as input and produces text. Its context window reaches 1,048,576 tokens, larger than 93 % of the models in the registry, and it can write up to 943,718 tokens in one go.
It is a recent model: real-world feedback and independent scores are still scarce.
DeepSeek V4.1 Flash pricing
On OpenRouter, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash costs $0.02 per million input tokens and $1 per million output tokens. Counting three tokens read for every token written, its average price is $0.265 per million, more expensive than 28 % of paid models (2.9 times cheaper than the median of $0.76).
A concrete example: a task that sends 2,000 tokens (about 1,500 words) and receives a 500-token answer costs $0.0005. At 1,000 tasks a day, budget $16 a month. The price calculator redoes this with your own volumes.
Tokens already sent and cached are billed at $0.015 per million. With batch processing (delayed answers), the price drops to $0.05 input and $0.15 output.
Performance and benchmarks
The Epoch Capabilities Index (ECI), which aggregates published results across many benchmarks, gives DeepSeek V4.1 Flash a score of 155.9 (range 153.7 to 158.6). That places it #32 of 125 rated models.
Scores published by Epoch AI on the benchmarks the site tracks:
| Benchmark | What it measures | Score | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPQA Diamond | PhD-level science questions | 93.2 % | Oct 17, 2026 |
| FrontierMath | research-level maths problems (tiers 1-3) | 71.2 % | Oct 17, 2026 |
| OTIS Mock AIME | maths competition problems | 99.4 % | Oct 17, 2026 |
| SimpleQA Verified | accuracy on simple facts | 42.5 % | Oct 17, 2026 |
Features, privacy and local use
- It supports tool calling, so it can drive an AI agent, call APIs or MCP servers.
- It can answer in an enforced JSON format (structured outputs).
- It is a reasoning model: it "thinks" before answering, which helps on hard tasks but uses more output tokens.
Its weights are open and downloadable from Hugging Face: you can run it on your own machines without sending your data to a third party.
Other DeepSeek models
| Model | Released | Avg. price | ECI |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 | Oct 17, 2026 | $0.26 | 155.9 |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp | Aug 21, 2026 | $0.32 | — |
| DeepSeek V4 Pro 0813 | Aug 12, 2026 | $0.99 | 155.6 |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash 0731 | Jul 31, 2026 | $0.07 | 154.8 |
| DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423 | Apr 24, 2026 | $0.26 | 155.6 |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash 0423 | Apr 24, 2026 | $0.11 | 154.8 |
| DeepSeek V3.2 | Dec 1, 2025 | $0.32 | 146.1 |
| DeepSeek V3.2 Exp | Sep 29, 2025 | $0.31 | 144.9 |
Verdict
DeepSeek V4.1 Flash scores 81/100 on our grid, which only uses published figures.
Strengths
- Low price: cheaper than 72 % of paid models.
- Very large context (1M tokens): long documents or a whole codebase fit in one request.
- Open weights: self-hostable, your data stays with you.
- Agent-ready: tool calling and structured JSON output.
- Discounted batch pricing.
Alternatives
- GLM 5.3$0.41
- GPT-6 Luna$0.2
- GPT-5.6 Luna$0.45
- GLM 5.3 Flash$0.24
- Claude Haiku 5.5$0.2
- Muse Spark Open$2
Comparisons and tools
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
How much does DeepSeek V4.1 Flash cost?
$0.02 per million input tokens and $1 per million output tokens on OpenRouter (checked October 25, 2026). A task with 2,000 tokens read and 500 written costs $0.0005.
How big is DeepSeek V4.1 Flash's context window?
1,048,576 tokens, roughly 786,000 words, with a maximum of 943,718 output tokens.
Can DeepSeek V4.1 Flash run locally?
Yes, its weights are published.
Is DeepSeek V4.1 Flash suitable for an AI agent?
Technically yes: it supports tool calling and structured outputs. Then check its cost for your volume.
How good is DeepSeek V4.1 Flash?
Epoch AI ranks it #32 of 125 rated models (ECI 155.9). On GPQA Diamond, it scores 93.2%.
What are the alternatives to DeepSeek V4.1 Flash?
The closest models on price and performance are GLM 5.3, GPT-6 Luna, and GPT-5.6 Luna.
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Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score