FastMetal

Model comparison

DeepSeek V4 Flash vs MiniMax M3.1 Flash

Pricing, context window and real answers (October 2026)

DeepSeek V4 Flash (DeepSeek) and MiniMax M3.1 Flash (MiniMax), compared as you can actually call them on FastMetal. Both are served from the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint and API key; switching is a change to the model string.

Specs and pricing

deepseek logoDeepSeek V4 Flashminimax logoMiniMax M3.1 Flash
ProviderDeepSeekMiniMax
Input (per 1M tokens)$0.095$0.1583
Output (per 1M tokens)$0.1899$0.633
Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls)$0.1899$0.4748
Context window1,048,576 tokens1,048,576 tokens
Release date4/24/202610/19/2026
Input modalitiestexttext, image
Throughput (p50)53 tokens/s (n=26)—
Arena · overall#104 · ELO 1,436Unranked
Arena · Japanese#88 · ELO 1,398Unranked
Arena · coding#105 · ELO 1,484Unranked

Prices are FastMetal's rates, before tax.

Rankings: LMArena leaderboard dataset (lmarena-ai/leaderboard-dataset), CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-10-15; category names mapped and ratings rounded by FastMetal.

Which should you pick?

  • On price, DeepSeek V4 Flash: $0.1899 per 1M output tokens, 70% less than MiniMax M3.1 Flash.
  • If in doubt, try both on the same key. Switching is a change to the model string, and each is billed at its own rate.

Real answers to the same prompts

Exactly what the FastMetal gateway returned, side by side. Not benchmark scores: actual output.

Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'

Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'. Explain your reasoning step by step.

DeepSeek V4 Flash

The word "strawberry" is spelled as s-t-r-a-w-b-e-r-r-y. I go through each letter: s (no), t (no), r (yes, first), a (no), w (no), b (no), e (no), r (yes, second), r (yes, third), y (no). Thus, there are three 'r's.
3.9s251 output tokens

MiniMax M3.1 Flash

1. Spell **strawberry**: **s – t – r – a – w – b – e – r – r – y** 2. Count the letter **r**: it appears at positions **3, 8, and 9**. **Total: 3 “r”s.**
3.0s193 output tokens

Debug This Error

I'm getting the following error in my Node.js application: TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map') at UserList (/app/components/UserList.js:12:25) at renderWithHooks (/app/node_modules/rea…

DeepSeek V4 Flash

The error occurs because `users` is `undefined` when the component tries to call `.map()` on it. ## Why this happens Your component expects `users` to be an array, but it's receiving `undefined` as a prop. This typically happens when: 1. The parent component doesn't pass the `users` prop 2. The data fetching hasn't completed yet (async data loading) 3. The API response is missing the expected data structure ## How to fix it ### Option 1: Default prop value (Recommended for initial state) ```jsx function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul> {users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)} </ul> ); } ``` ### Option 2: Guard clause (More explicit) ```jsx func…
6.3s422 output tokens

MiniMax M3.1 Flash

The error occurs because `users` is `undefined` when `UserList` renders. Calling `.map()` on `undefined` causes the `TypeError`. This commonly happens when: - `<UserList />` is rendered without passing the `users` prop. - The prop has a different name, such as `user`. - Data is still loading and the parent initializes its state as `undefined`. - An API response is accessed before it exists. ### Immediate fix Provide a default empty array: ```jsx function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul> {users.map(user => ( <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li> ))} </ul> ); } ``` Then pass the actual data from the parent: ```jsx const [users, setUsers] = useState([…
7.3s744 output tokens

Code Review

Please review the following Python function and suggest improvements for readability, performance, and best practices: def get_data(url, retries=3): import requests import time for i in range(retries):…

DeepSeek V4 Flash

Here's a comprehensive review with suggested improvements: ## Issues Identified: 1. **Import at wrong location** - Imports inside functions are inefficient and non-standard 2. **Bare `except:` clause** - Catches all exceptions including `KeyboardInterrupt`, `SystemExit` 3. **Missing error handling granularity** - Should distinguish between retryable and non-retryable errors 4. **Duplicate sleep logic** - Same sleep in `else` and `except` blocks 5. **Unnecessary variable** - `data` is only used once 6. **Inefficient list building** - Manual loop instead of list comprehension 7. **Hardcoded error message** - No logging or error context 8. **Missing type hints** - No type annotations 9. **Fun…
12.6s987 output tokens

MiniMax M3.1 Flash

The function is understandable, but it has a few important issues: - `except:` catches programming errors such as `KeyError`, `TypeError`, and even `KeyboardInterrupt`. - Every non-200 response is retried, including permanent failures such as 400, 401, and 404. - It sleeps after the final failed attempt. - Returning `[]` makes a failed request indistinguishable from a successful response containing no active records. - A fixed delay can cause clients to retry simultaneously; exponential backoff and `Retry-After` are preferable. - `item["active"] == True` should be `item.get("active") is True` if the API contract says it is a JSON boolean. - A `Session` can reuse connections, while `requests…
146.5s

Compare on more prompts →

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, DeepSeek V4 Flash or MiniMax M3.1 Flash?
Per 1M output tokens, DeepSeek V4 Flash is $0.1899 and MiniMax M3.1 Flash is $0.633 on FastMetal (US dollars, before tax), so DeepSeek V4 Flash is cheaper.
How do the context windows of DeepSeek V4 Flash and MiniMax M3.1 Flash compare?
DeepSeek V4 Flash takes 1,048,576 tokens; MiniMax M3.1 Flash takes 1,048,576.
Can I use DeepSeek V4 Flash and MiniMax M3.1 Flash with the same API key?
Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "deepseek-v4-flash" or "minimax-m3.1-flash" as the model. Each is billed at its own rate from the same prepaid balance.

Try both on one API key

Create an account and add credit to call DeepSeek V4 Flash and MiniMax M3.1 Flash from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.

Create a free accountTry DeepSeek V4 Flash in chatTry MiniMax M3.1 Flash in chat

More comparisons with DeepSeek V4 Flash

More comparisons with MiniMax M3.1 Flash