Gemini 3.1 Flash wins on writing quality and context window (1M vs 128K). DeepSeek R1 wins on coding (84 vs 68). For most workflows, Gemini 3.1 Flash is the stronger default — best cheap ai for broad day-to-day work — now with 1m context.
The shortest way to see the safest default, the lower-cost option, and the specialist pick before you read deeper.
Gemini 3.1 Flash is the safest overall answer here when you want the strongest default instead of the lowest list price.
Switch the scoring lens to see whether the top answer changes when you care more about cost, speed, or long-document work.
Google / Budget / Apr 29, 2026
Best cheap AI for broad day-to-day work — now with 1M context.
Ranks models by the broadest mix of coding, writing, research, and long-context usefulness.
You need premium reasoning depth or the highest coding benchmark scores.
The fastest way to see where the recommendation shifts when your priority changes.
1M token context window at $0.50/$3 per million tokens
2.5× faster time-to-first-token than Gemini 2.5 Flash
Strong multimodal support across text, images, audio, and video
Not as sharp as premium models on hard reasoning or complex coding
May need more validation on nuanced technical tasks
UseRightAI recommendations are based on practical decision factors people actually feel in day-to-day use.
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Gemini 3.1 Flash wins on more categories — budget, writing, images. DeepSeek R1 is the better pick when math. The right choice depends on your specific use case.
Gemini 3.1 Flash is cheaper at $0.5/1M input and $3/1M output. DeepSeek R1 costs $0.55/1M input and $2.19/1M output.
Gemini 3.1 Flash has the larger context window at 1M tokens vs DeepSeek R1's 128K. For large document analysis, Gemini 3.1 Flash is the stronger pick.
DeepSeek R1 is better for coding with a score of 84 vs Gemini 3.1 Flash's 68. For the highest coding quality available, Claude Sonnet 4.6 (79.6% SWE-bench) or Opus 4.6 (80.8%) remain benchmarks.
Gemini 3.1 Flash is faster with a very fast speed rating (score: 5) vs DeepSeek R1's deliberate rating (score: 1).
Meta: Llama 3.1 8B Instruct is the lower-cost option to start with when you still need useful output at scale.
DeepSeek R1 is the better pick when response speed matters more than maximum reasoning depth.
DeepSeek R1 leads on coding with a score of 84 vs 68 for Gemini 3.1 Flash.
Gemini 3.1 Flash has the larger context window: 1M vs 128K for DeepSeek R1.
Gemini 3.1 Flash is cheaper at $0.5/1M input tokens vs $0.55/1M for DeepSeek R1.
Choose Gemini 3.1 Flash for budget and writing — high-volume everyday ai usage where speed and cost both matter.
Choose DeepSeek R1 when math.
Both models serve different primary workflows — consider using each where it has a clear edge.
