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Claude Sonnet 5 vs DeepSeek V4 Pro
A straight cost comparison of Claude Sonnet 5 (Anthropic) and DeepSeek V4 Pro (DeepSeek), per 1,000,000 tokens, verified October 2026.
Rate-by-rate comparison
| Metric | Claude Sonnet 5 | DeepSeek V4 Pro | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input / 1M | $2 | $1.32 | DeepSeek V4 Pro |
| Cached input / 1M | $0.20 | $0.044 | DeepSeek V4 Pro |
| Cache write / 1M | $2.50 | — | DeepSeek V4 Pro |
| Output / 1M | $10 | $3.96 | DeepSeek V4 Pro |
| Context window | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | Tie |
| Batch API | Yes | No | Claude Sonnet 5 |
| Long-context tier | None | None | — |
For per-token metrics, the lower number wins. For context window and batch support, the higher or broader option wins. A dash means the provider does not publish that rate: a missing cache-write fee means writes are not billed per token, while a missing cached-input rate means cache hits bill at the full input rate.
Blended cost: 1M input + 250K output
| Model | Blended cost | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Sonnet 5 | $4.50 | +$2.19 |
| DeepSeek V4 Pro | $2.31 | Cheaper |
Three workloads, two bills
| Workload | Claude Sonnet 5 | DeepSeek V4 Pro | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support chat 1,000 requests · 4K input / 600 output | $14 | $7.66 | DeepSeek V4 Pro |
| RAG with caching 1,000 requests · 50K input (45K cached) / 1K output | $29.10 | $12.60 | DeepSeek V4 Pro |
| Nightly batch job 10,000 requests · 10K input / 2K output | $200 | $211 | Claude Sonnet 5 |
Which one should you pick?
Claude Sonnet 5 wins on nightly batch job, while DeepSeek V4 Pro wins on support chat, cached RAG.
Beyond price, the two differ on input rate ($2 vs $1.32); output rate ($10 vs $3.96); cached-input rate ($0.20 vs $0.044); cache-write rate ($2.50 vs —); batch support (yes vs no).
Batch mode is available on Claude Sonnet 5, which halves the nightly job. Both publish cached-input discounts, so a stable system prompt is worth caching on either.
FAQ
Is Claude Sonnet 5 cheaper than DeepSeek V4 Pro?
On a blended 1M-input-plus-250K-output workload, DeepSeek V4 Pro is cheaper by 49% ($2.31 vs $4.50). The gap changes for cache-heavy prompts and for batch jobs, as the workload table shows.
Which handles longer prompts, Claude Sonnet 5 or DeepSeek V4 Pro?
Both models share the same 1,000,000-token context window. Neither model publishes a long-context surcharge.
Do both models support prompt caching?
Claude Sonnet 5 bills cached reads at $0.20 per 1M; DeepSeek V4 Pro at $0.044.