API cost decision in 10 seconds

NewDeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp vs Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch)

Pick Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) when budget is the priority.

Page updated: 2026-08-22T11:07:48Z Data confirmed: 2026-08-23T12:07:48Z Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output

Budget verdict

Pick Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) when budget is the priority.

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) is estimated at $0.5 vs $0.55 for DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp, saving $0.05 (9.1% lower).

Cost-first pickGemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch)

Context-first pickBoth models

Sample savings$0.059.1%

10x traffic gap$0.5

The reported context window is tied, so cost and provider fit carry more weight. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $0.5. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.

Cost sensitivity

Workload Sensitivity

Same prices, different token mixes.

Cost winner changes by workload shape: input-heavy / RAG favors Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch), balanced workload favors Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch), and output-heavy chatbot favors DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp.

Workload shape	Token mix	Better pick	DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp	Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch)
Input-heavy / RAG	5M input + 500K output	Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch)	$1.43	$1
Balanced workload	1M input + 1M output	Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch)	$0.88	$0.88
Output-heavy chatbot	1M input + 5M output	DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp	$3.52	$3.88

Cheaper input Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) $0.22 vs $0.125 / 1M

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) is $0.1 cheaper per 1M input tokens (43.2% lower; 1.76x difference).

Cheaper output DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp $0.66 vs $0.75 / 1M

DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp is $0.09 cheaper per 1M output tokens (12% lower; 1.14x difference).

Larger context Tie 1.05M vs 1.05M

Both models report the same context window at 1.05M tokens.

Sample workload Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) $0.55 vs $0.5

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) is $0.05 cheaper on the standard workload (9.1% lower).

Estimate your workload cost

Your Workload Cost

Prices are normalized to USD per 1M tokens.

Monthly input tokens Monthly output tokens

DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp Calculating… Estimated API cost

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) Calculating… Estimated API cost

Cheaper for this workload Calculating… Difference: calculating…

This estimate uses normalized public API pricing per 1M tokens. It is a planning aid, not a billing quote. Verify provider pricing, limits, and terms before production use.

Quick Decision

Verdict

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) has the lower input price; DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp has the lower output price; both models report the same context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) is cheaper for the standard workload.

For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $0.55 for DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp and $0.5 for Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch).

Best Fit

Choose DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp when you care most about lower output-token price.

Choose Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) when you care most about lower input-token price.

Decision Notes

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) is estimated at $0.5 vs $0.55 for DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp, saving $0.05 (9.1% lower).
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) is $0.05 cheaper on the standard workload (9.1% lower).
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) is $0.1 cheaper per 1M input tokens (43.2% lower; 1.76x difference).
DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp is $0.09 cheaper per 1M output tokens (12% lower; 1.14x difference).
Both models report the same context window at 1.05M tokens.

Head-to-Head Specs

Feature	NewDeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp (DeepSeek)	Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) (Google)
Input Price prompt tokens per 1M	$0.22	$0.125
Completion Price per 1M tokens	$0.66	$0.75
Sample Workload Cost 1M input + 500K output	$0.55	$0.5
Context Window	1.05M	1.05M
Release Date	2026-08-21	2026-05-07

Use-Case Decision Matrix

Use case	Better pick	Why
Budget-constrained production	Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch)	On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch) is estimated at $0.5 vs $0.55 for DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp, saving $0.05 (9.1% lower).
High-volume input processing	Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch)	Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill.
Long responses and chatbots	DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp	Lower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens.
RAG or long-document work	Tie	A larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files.

Related Alternatives

Same-provider lower-cost swaps

DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) can replace DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
DeepSeek V4 Flash 0423 can replace DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.1.
DeepSeek V4 Flash 0731 can replace DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.17.
R1 Distill Qwen 32B can replace DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.43.

Larger context near this budget

DeepSeek V4 Flash 0731 offers 1.31M context with $0.17 sample workload cost.
DeepSeek V4 Flash Latest offers 1.31M context with $0.11 sample workload cost.
Llama 4 Scout offers 1.31M context with $0.25 sample workload cost.
MiMo-V2.5 offers 1.05M context with $0.28 sample workload cost.

Popular competitors

DeepSeek V4 Flash 0731 · DeepSeek · #1
MiMo-V2.5 · Xiaomi · #2
Hy3 · Tencent · #3
Ox Alpha · stealth · #4

Cheaper alternatives

Review low-cost models sorted by a standard 1M input plus 500K output workload.

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Larger context alternatives

Find models with larger context windows for RAG, long documents, and codebase review.

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Provider catalogs

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DeepSeek catalog

Review all tracked DeepSeek models before deciding whether this matchup is the right shortlist.

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Google catalog

Check other Google models with comparable pricing, context, or release timing.

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DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp

DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp is an experimental vision-enabled version of [DeepSeek V4 Flash 0731](https://openrouter.ai/deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash-0731) from DeepSeek, adding image understanding while matching the base model on text capabilities including agents,...

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite (batch)

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite is Google’s GA high-efficiency multimodal model optimized for low-latency, high-volume workloads. It supports text, image, video, audio, and PDF inputs, and is designed for lightweight agentic...