What is the best alternative to DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017?

Claude Sonnet 5 is the closest model that scores higher on the BenchLeader Index (59.4 against 59.2). For less money, GPT-5.6 Luna scores 58.5 at $0.45 per 1M tokens.

Is there a cheaper alternative to DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017?

Yes: GPT-5.6 Luna (58.5, $0.45), DeepSeek V4 Flash (57.3, $0.262) and Qwen3.5 Plus (57.3, $0.258), each within 4 Index points and cheaper than DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017's $0.525.

Is there an open-source alternative to DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017?

The best open-weights models on the BenchLeader Index are Kimi K3 (62.1), GLM-5 (60.2) and GLM 5.2 (60.1). You can download and run them yourself; check each licence on its model page.

How are these alternatives chosen?

From the models ranked on the BenchLeader Index today: the ones just above DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017, cheaper ones within 4 points, ones at least 1.5× as fast within 4 points, and the best open-weights models. Prices are list prices blended three input tokens to one output.

DeepSeek

DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 alternatives

Data as of 2 Nov 2026 · ranked on the BenchLeader Index

As of 2 Nov 2026, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 by DeepSeek scores 59.2 on the BenchLeader Index at $0.525 per 1M tokens blended. Claude Sonnet 5 scores higher (59.4); GPT-5.6 Luna is the best cheaper model within 4 points (58.5 at $0.45); Muse Spark 1.2 is at least 1.5× as fast at a similar score; Kimi K3 is the best open-weights option (62.1).

Scores higher

The closest models above DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 on the Index.

Claude Sonnet 5 Anthropic59.4 · $4.00
Claude Opus 4.5 Anthropic59.7 · $10.00
Kimi K2.6 Moonshot AI59.7 · $1.71

Cheaper, nearly as good

Within 4 Index points, for less per token.

GPT-5.6 Luna OpenAI58.5 · $0.45
DeepSeek V4 Flash DeepSeek compare57.3 · $0.262
Qwen3.5 Plus Alibaba57.3 · $0.258
Claude Haiku 5.5 Anthropic57.2 · $0.20
GLM 5.3 Flash Zhipu AI compare56.8 · $0.238

Faster

At least 1.5× the output speed, within 4 points.

Muse Spark 1.2 Meta61.6 · $2.00
Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent SpaceXAI58.4 · $1.56
GPT-5.4 Mini OpenAI56.1 · $1.69

Open weights

Open-weights models that score higher.

Kimi K3 Moonshot AI62.1 · $6.00
GLM-5 Zhipu AI60.2 · $1.55
GLM 5.2 Zhipu AI60.1 · $2.15

Every alternative side by side

Model	Index	$ / 1M blended	Tokens / s	Why
DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 (this model)	59.2	$0.525	170	–
Kimi K3	62.1	$6.00	66	open weights
Muse Spark 1.2	61.6	$2.00	296	faster
GLM-5	60.2	$1.55	62	open weights
GLM 5.2	60.1	$2.15	89	open weights
Claude Opus 4.5	59.7	$10.00	57	scores higher
Kimi K2.6	59.7	$1.71	41	scores higher
Claude Sonnet 5	59.4	$4.00	71	scores higher
GPT-5.6 Luna	58.5	$0.45	113	cheaper
Grok 4.20 Multi-Agent	58.4	$1.56	362	faster
DeepSeek V4 Flash	57.3	$0.262	49	cheaper
Qwen3.5 Plus	57.3	$0.258	71	cheaper
Claude Haiku 5.5	57.2	$0.20	200	cheaper
GLM 5.3 Flash	56.8	$0.238	76	cheaper
GPT-5.4 Mini	56.1	$1.69	298	faster

Prices are list prices blended three input tokens to one output; speeds are measured medians, credited on each model page. The Index is BenchLeader's own, from independent benchmarks.

Questions people ask

What is the best alternative to DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017?: Claude Sonnet 5 is the closest model that scores higher on the BenchLeader Index (59.4 against 59.2). For less money, GPT-5.6 Luna scores 58.5 at $0.45 per 1M tokens.
Is there a cheaper alternative to DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017?: Yes: GPT-5.6 Luna (58.5, $0.45), DeepSeek V4 Flash (57.3, $0.262) and Qwen3.5 Plus (57.3, $0.258), each within 4 Index points and cheaper than DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017's $0.525.
Is there an open-source alternative to DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017?: The best open-weights models on the BenchLeader Index are Kimi K3 (62.1), GLM-5 (60.2) and GLM 5.2 (60.1). You can download and run them yourself; check each licence on its model page.
How are these alternatives chosen?: From the models ranked on the BenchLeader Index today: the ones just above DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017, cheaper ones within 4 points, ones at least 1.5× as fast within 4 points, and the best open-weights models. Prices are list prices blended three input tokens to one output.