# DeepSeek V4.1 Flash vs Gemini 3.8 Flash

As of October 21, 2026, Gemini 3.8 Flash costs 733% more per input token than DeepSeek V4.1 Flash ($0.75 vs $0.09 per 1M), and both have a 1M-token context window.

- Page: https://models.litellm.ai/compare/deepseek-v4.1-flash-vs-gemini-3.8-flash
- DeepSeek V4.1 Flash: https://models.litellm.ai/models/deepseek-v4.1-flash
- Gemini 3.8 Flash: https://models.litellm.ai/models/gemini-3.8-flash

## Side by side

| | DeepSeek V4.1 Flash | Gemini 3.8 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| Input, per 1M tokens | $0.09 | $0.75 |
| Output, per 1M tokens | $0.30 | $3.75 |
| Cache read, per 1M tokens | $0.006 | $0.075 |
| Cache write, per 1M tokens | – | – |
| Context window | 1,048,576 tokens | 1,048,576 tokens |
| Max output | 1,048,576 tokens | 65,536 tokens |
| Image input | Yes | Yes |
| Tool calling | Yes | Yes |
| Structured output (JSON) | Yes | Yes |
| Prompt caching | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Providers on LiteLLM | 14 | 5 |
| Price shown is from | Sail | Google AI Studio |
| Added to LiteLLM | September 11, 2026 | September 2, 2026 |

Headline prices in USD per 1M tokens, from LiteLLM's model price file.

## Cheapest provider for each

- DeepSeek V4.1 Flash: Sail at $0.09 input per 1M tokens (`sail/deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash`)
- Gemini 3.8 Flash: Google AI Studio at $0.75 input per 1M tokens (`gemini/gemini-3.8-flash`)

## Benchmark scores

| Benchmark | DeepSeek V4.1 Flash | Gemini 3.8 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| Epoch Capabilities Index (Overall) | 155.9 | 157.4 |
| FrontierCode (Coding and agents) | 43.9% (high) | 41.2% (medium) |
| APEX-Agents (Coding and agents) | 39.5% | 64.3% |
| GPQA Diamond (Reasoning and knowledge) | 89.8% (max) | 95.4% (high) |
| ARC-AGI-2 (Reasoning and knowledge) | 72.9% (max) | 89.2% (high) |
| SimpleQA Verified (Reasoning and knowledge) | 42.9% (max) | 69.7% (high) |
| FrontierMath (tiers 1-3) (Math) | 67.4% (max) | 68.4% (high) |
| FrontierMath (tier 4) (Math) | 26.8% (max) | 22.0% (high) |
| OTIS Mock AIME 2024-2025 (Math) | 98.3% (max) | 98.9% (high) |

From the Epoch AI Benchmarking Hub (https://epoch.ai/benchmarks), CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), data as of October 13, 2026: Epoch's own runs and results it collects from each benchmark's leaderboard. Higher is better.

## When to pick which

- DeepSeek V4.1 Flash: Costs 88% less per input token: $0.09 vs $0.75 per 1M.
- DeepSeek V4.1 Flash: Returns up to 1,048,576 tokens per response, vs 65,536.

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash or Gemini 3.8 Flash?

DeepSeek V4.1 Flash is cheaper at 3 input tokens per output token: $0.1425 per 1M tokens blended ($0.09 input, $0.30 output), versus $1.50 ($0.75 and $3.75) for Gemini 3.8 Flash, as of October 21, 2026.

### Which has the larger context window, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash or Gemini 3.8 Flash?

Both have a 1,048,576-token context window.

### Can I switch from DeepSeek V4.1 Flash to Gemini 3.8 Flash without changing my code?

Yes. Through LiteLLM both use the OpenAI format, so switching means changing the model name from "sail/deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash" to "gemini/gemini-3.8-flash", or pointing a LiteLLM gateway model alias at the other model. You can also use one as a fallback for the other.