Choose Meta Llama 4 Maverick if
- ✓ You need image input at a low price
- ✓ You want a large-context open-weight-style option
- ✓ Your benchmark shows strong enough quality for the task
Head to head · OpenRouter
Meta Llama 4 Maverick vs DeepSeek V4 Flash
Both are low-cost large-context options; Llama 4 Maverick adds vision, while DeepSeek V4 Flash is text-only with lower output pricing.
Quick verdict
Llama 4 Maverick is the better low-cost choice when image input matters. DeepSeek V4 Flash is the better pure-text batch choice when output cost dominates.
Side-by-side comparison
| Field | Meta Llama 4 Maverick | DeepSeek V4 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Meta | DeepSeek |
| Context window | 1.05M tokens | 1.05M tokens |
| Input / 1M | $0.188 | $0.007 |
| Output / 1M | $0.652 | $1.28 |
| Modalities | Text, Vision | Text |
| Best for | Budget, Long Context, Multimodal | Budget, Long Context |
Source
openrouter.ai/api/v1/models Verified 2026-10-16 Cost estimates
| Workload | Input | Output | Meta Llama 4 Maverick | DeepSeek V4 Flash |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick test | 20,000 | 5,000 | $0.007 | $0.007 |
| Product chat month | 500,000 | 125,000 | $0.175 | $0.163 |
| Document batch | 5,000,000 | 1,000,000 | $1.59 | $1.31 |
Estimates use list input/output prices and exclude cache discounts, provider surcharges and tool fees.
Choose DeepSeek V4 Flash if
- ✓ Your workload is text-only
- ✓ You process very large volumes of documents
- ✓ Output token cost is the main constraint
FAQ
Is Meta Llama 4 Maverick cheaper than DeepSeek V4 Flash?
Meta Llama 4 Maverick costs $0.188 input and $0.652 output per 1M tokens. DeepSeek V4 Flash costs $0.007 input and $1.28 output per 1M tokens.
Which model has the larger context window?
Meta Llama 4 Maverick offers 1.05M tokens; DeepSeek V4 Flash offers 1.05M tokens. Provider-specific limits can vary by route.
Which one should I choose?
Llama 4 Maverick is the better low-cost choice when image input matters. DeepSeek V4 Flash is the better pure-text batch choice when output cost dominates.
Meta Llama 4 Maverick details DeepSeek V4 Flash details Estimate monthly cost
Pricing and context data are based on a 2026-10-16 snapshot. Provider limits and pricing can change; verify on OpenRouter before production.