AI model comparison
DeepSeek V3.2 Exp vs DeepSeek V3.1 Terminus
Pricing, context window, benchmarks, and features compared side by side. Or skip the guesswork and send one prompt to both.
DeepSeek
DeepSeek V3.2 Exp
DeepSeek-V3.2-Exp is an experimental large language model released by DeepSeek as an intermediate step between V3.1 and future architectures.
- Input / 1M
- $0.27
- Output / 1M
- $0.41
- Context
- 164K
DeepSeek
DeepSeek V3.1 Terminus
DeepSeek-V3.1 Terminus is an update to [DeepSeek V3.1](/deepseek/deepseek-chat-v3.1) that maintains the model's original capabilities while addressing issues reported by users, including language consistency and agent capabilities, further optimizing the model's
- Input / 1M
- $0.27
- Output / 1M
- $1
- Context
- 164K
At a glance
Quick verdict
How the two models stack up on the things people ask about most.
Lower price
DeepSeek V3.2 Exp
1.4x cheaper for a typical chat
Higher intelligence score
DeepSeek V3.2 Exp
16.6 vs 14.8 on Artificial Analysis
Larger context window
Tie
164K vs 164K tokens
Newer release
DeepSeek V3.2 Exp
Released September 29, 2025
Benchmarks
Benchmark scores
Independent scores from Artificial Analysis. Higher is better.
Intelligence index
Coding index
Agentic index
Pricing
DeepSeek V3.2 Exp vs DeepSeek V3.1 Terminus API pricing
Per-token API rates. Cheaper option highlighted.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Input tokensPer 1M tokens | $0.27 | $0.27 |
| Output tokensPer 1M tokens | $0.41 | $1 |
| Cached input (read)Per 1M tokens | Not available | Not available |
| Cache writePer 1M tokens | Not available | Not available |
What it costs in practice
Estimated cost per 1,000 requests at standard rates. Coding and long-document figures also show the cost when the input is already cached.
Chat message
2K in, 500 out
Coding task
30K in, 4K out
Long document summary
150K in, 2K out
Specs
Context window and capabilities
How much each model can read, how much it can write, and what it accepts as input.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Context window | 164K tokens | 164K tokens |
| Max output | 147K tokens | 147K tokens |
| Input types | Text | Text |
| Output types | Text | Text |
| Reasoning effort levels | Not available | Not available |
| Default reasoning effort | Not available | Not available |
| Release date | September 29, 2025 | September 22, 2025 |
Features
Supported features
API features available for each model.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tool calling | Supported | Supported |
| Structured outputs | Supported | Supported |
| JSON mode | Supported | Supported |
| Reasoning | Supported | Supported |
| Temperature | Supported | Supported |
| Stop sequences | Not supported | Supported |
| Deterministic seed | Not supported | Not supported |
| Verbosity control | Not supported | Not supported |
Our take
DeepSeek V3.2 Exp is 1.4x cheaper for a typical chat. DeepSeek V3.2 Exp scores higher on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (16.6 vs 14.8). The right pick depends on your workload, so the quickest way to settle it is to send the same prompt to both and compare.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is DeepSeek V3.2 Exp or DeepSeek V3.1 Terminus cheaper?
DeepSeek V3.2 Exp is cheaper for a typical chat (2K input tokens and 500 output tokens). DeepSeek V3.2 Exp costs $0.27 per 1M input tokens and $0.41 per 1M output tokens, while DeepSeek V3.1 Terminus costs $0.27 per 1M input tokens and $1 per 1M output tokens.
Which has a bigger context window, DeepSeek V3.2 Exp or DeepSeek V3.1 Terminus?
DeepSeek V3.2 Exp supports up to 164K tokens of context, compared with 164K for DeepSeek V3.1 Terminus.
Is DeepSeek V3.2 Exp smarter than DeepSeek V3.1 Terminus?
On the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, DeepSeek V3.2 Exp scores 16.6 and DeepSeek V3.1 Terminus scores 14.8, putting DeepSeek V3.2 Exp ahead. Benchmarks don't capture everything, so the best test is running your own prompts through both.
Can I use DeepSeek V3.2 Exp and DeepSeek V3.1 Terminus at the same time?
Yes. Shortcut Chat sends one prompt to multiple models at once, so you can see DeepSeek V3.2 Exp and DeepSeek V3.1 Terminus answer side by side and keep the better response.
Why choose? Ask both.
Send one prompt to DeepSeek V3.2 Exp and DeepSeek V3.1 Terminus at the same time. Compare the answers side by side and keep the best one.