DeepSeek R1 0528 vs Grok 4 Fast

Side-by-side benchmark comparison across coding, math, reasoning, speed, and pricing.

DeepSeek R1 0528 by DeepSeek wins on 8 of 14 benchmarks against Grok 4 Fast by xAI, which leads on 6. This head-to-head comparison covers coding, math, reasoning, speed, and pricing metrics from the AI Value Index.

Category-by-Category Breakdown

General Intelligence: In general intelligence, DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 1375 on Chatbot Arena ELO compared to Grok 4 Fast's 1370, while DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 84.0% on MMLU-Pro compared to Grok 4 Fast's 80.0%.

Coding: In coding, DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 88.0% on HumanEval+ compared to Grok 4 Fast's 85.0%, while DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 55.0% on SWE-bench Verified compared to Grok 4 Fast's 48.0%, while DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 58.0% on LiveCodeBench compared to Grok 4 Fast's 52.0%.

Math: In math, DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 96.0% on MATH compared to Grok 4 Fast's 84.0%, while DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 97.5% on GSM8K compared to Grok 4 Fast's 94.0%.

Reasoning: In reasoning, DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 81.0% on GPQA Diamond compared to Grok 4 Fast's 60.0%, while Grok 4 Fast scores 38.0% on ARC-AGI compared to DeepSeek R1 0528's 15.0%.

Context: In context, Grok 4 Fast scores 256K on Context Length compared to DeepSeek R1 0528's 131K.

Pricing Comparison

DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.55/1M input tokens and $2.2/1M output tokens, while Grok 4 Fast costs $0.20/1M input and $0.50/1M output. Grok 4 Fast is the more affordable option for API usage.

Speed Comparison

DeepSeek R1 0528 generates output at 40 tok/s compared to Grok 4 Fast's 110 tok/s, and the time to first token is 900 ms for DeepSeek R1 0528 versus 220 ms for Grok 4 Fast. Grok 4 Fast delivers faster throughput.

Verdict

For developers prioritizing coding and general intelligence and math, DeepSeek R1 0528 has the edge. For those who value affordability and speed, Grok 4 Fast is the stronger choice.

DeepSeek R1 0528 vs Grok 4 Fast — FAQ

Which is better, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Grok 4 Fast?

DeepSeek R1 0528 wins on more benchmarks overall (8 vs 6). However, the best choice depends on your specific needs — each model excels in different areas.

How does DeepSeek R1 0528 compare to Grok 4 Fast for coding?

DeepSeek R1 0528 is better for coding, scoring 55.0% on SWE-bench Verified compared to 48.0%. SWE-bench tests real-world software engineering by resolving actual GitHub issues.

Is DeepSeek R1 0528 cheaper than Grok 4 Fast?

Yes, Grok 4 Fast is cheaper. DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.55/1M input and $2.2/1M output tokens. Grok 4 Fast costs $0.20/1M input and $0.50/1M output tokens.

Which is faster, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Grok 4 Fast?

Grok 4 Fast is faster, generating output at 110 tok/s compared to 40 tok/s. Faster output speed means shorter wait times for API responses.

What benchmarks does the DeepSeek R1 0528 vs Grok 4 Fast comparison cover?

This comparison covers 14 benchmarks including Chatbot Arena ELO, MMLU-Pro, HumanEval+, MATH, SWE-bench Verified, GPQA Diamond, Output Speed, Time to First Token, and more. Metrics span general intelligence, coding, math, reasoning, speed, and cost categories.