DeepSeek R1 vs Grok 4
Side-by-side benchmark comparison across coding, math, reasoning, speed, and pricing.
Grok 4 by xAI wins on 11 of 15 benchmarks against DeepSeek R1 by DeepSeek, which leads on 3. 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, Grok 4 scores 1430 on Chatbot Arena ELO compared to DeepSeek R1's 1355, while Grok 4 scores 87.0% on MMLU-Pro compared to DeepSeek R1's 84.0%.
Coding: In coding, Grok 4 scores 90.0% on HumanEval+ compared to DeepSeek R1's 86.0%, while Grok 4 scores 72.0% on SWE-bench Verified compared to DeepSeek R1's 49.2%, while Grok 4 scores 65.0% on LiveCodeBench compared to DeepSeek R1's 50.0%.
Math: In math, DeepSeek R1 scores 97.3% on MATH compared to Grok 4's 91.0%, while both score 97.0% on GSM8K, while Grok 4 scores 93.0% on AIME 2025 compared to DeepSeek R1's 79.8%.
Reasoning: In reasoning, Grok 4 scores 87.0% on GPQA Diamond compared to DeepSeek R1's 71.5%, while Grok 4 scores 50.0% on ARC-AGI compared to DeepSeek R1's 14.0%.
Context: In context, Grok 4 scores 256K on Context Length compared to DeepSeek R1's 131K.
Pricing Comparison
DeepSeek R1 costs $0.55/1M input tokens and $2.2/1M output tokens, while Grok 4 costs $3.0/1M input and $15.0/1M output. DeepSeek R1 is the more affordable option for API usage.
Speed Comparison
DeepSeek R1 generates output at 35 tok/s compared to Grok 4's 55 tok/s, and the time to first token is 950 ms for DeepSeek R1 versus 500 ms for Grok 4. Grok 4 delivers faster throughput.
Verdict
For developers prioritizing math and affordability, DeepSeek R1 has the edge. For those who value coding and general intelligence and speed, Grok 4 is the stronger choice.
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DeepSeek R1 vs Grok 4 — FAQ
Which is better, DeepSeek R1 or Grok 4?
Grok 4 wins on more benchmarks overall (11 vs 3). However, the best choice depends on your specific needs — each model excels in different areas.
How does DeepSeek R1 compare to Grok 4 for coding?
Grok 4 is better for coding, scoring 72.0% on SWE-bench Verified compared to 49.2%. SWE-bench tests real-world software engineering by resolving actual GitHub issues.
Is DeepSeek R1 cheaper than Grok 4?
Yes, DeepSeek R1 is cheaper. DeepSeek R1 costs $0.55/1M input and $2.2/1M output tokens. Grok 4 costs $3.0/1M input and $15.0/1M output tokens.
Which is faster, DeepSeek R1 or Grok 4?
Grok 4 is faster, generating output at 55 tok/s compared to 35 tok/s. Faster output speed means shorter wait times for API responses.
What benchmarks does the DeepSeek R1 vs Grok 4 comparison cover?
This comparison covers 15 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.