OpenAI compatible API · Attested · Public status

ERNIE 4.5 21B A3B vs DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash

DeepSeek V4.1 Flash has the lower published input-plus-output rate, more Credits provider routes and the larger context window. There is not enough recent probe data to compare speed. Compare price, speed, context, and privacy.

Verify gateway

Onebase URL to migrate

100sof models and routes

0prompt or output logs. Always.

Compare routesProviders, price, context, and policy posture in one view.

Use auto when uptime mattersKeep a primary model and let fallback handle provider failures.

Same API shapeUse the OpenAI client and set the model you want.

Practical read

Monthly evidence

DeepSeek V4.1 Flash has the lower published input-plus-output rate, more Credits provider routes and the larger context window. There is not enough recent probe data to compare speed.

$0.36925/1MERNIE 4.5 21B A3B cheapest route

$0.1266/1MDeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash cheapest route

not enough dataERNIE 4.5 21B A3B fastest measured p50 TTFT

836 msDeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash fastest measured p50 TTFT via wandb

The price comparison adds each route's rate for one million input tokens and one million output tokens; your cost depends on your input/output mix. Prices and live route measurements can change. Use the monthly reports when you need a stable evidence window, then run a small task-specific eval before choosing a production default.

ERNIE 4.5 21B A3BDeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash

Model idbaidu/ernie-4.5-21B-a3bdeepseek/deepseek-v4.1-flash

Publisher Baidu AI Cloud Qianfan DeepSeek

AI IQ — IQ 126#21

Context120,000 tokens1,048,576 tokens

Credits provider routes124

Cheapest route$0.36925/1M$0.1266/1M

Cached inputNot published$0.01/1M to $0.17935/1M

Privacy postureprovider posture varieshas Confidential route (E2EE + ZDR)

Fastest measured p50 TTFTnot enough data836 ms via wandb

Highest measured throughputnot enough datanot enough data

Recent route uptime rangenot enough data0.00% to 100.00%

Modes chat chat decide

ERNIE 4.5 21B A3B routes

Overview1 Credits routes

DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash routes

Overview24 Credits routes
PricingInput, cached input, and output rates
ProvidersAll serving providers

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Production choice

Pick a default model. Keep fallback enabled.

TrustedRouter is useful when you know the model you want, but still need provider rollover, budget limits, usage records, and a prompt path you can verify.

OpenAI clientPython

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://api.trustedrouter.com/v1",
    api_key="sk-tr-v1-..."
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="baidu/ernie-4.5-21B-a3b",
    messages=messages,
)

Questions

Which should I use, ERNIE 4.5 21B A3B or DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash?

DeepSeek V4.1 Flash has the lower published input-plus-output rate, more Credits provider routes and the larger context window. There is not enough recent probe data to compare speed.

Is ERNIE 4.5 21B A3B or DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash cheaper?

The current cheapest TrustedRouter route is $0.36925/1M for ERNIE 4.5 21B A3B and $0.1266/1M for DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash. The comparison uses current catalog prices and updates as provider pricing changes.

Is ERNIE 4.5 21B A3B or DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash faster?

Current measured p50 time to first token is not enough data for ERNIE 4.5 21B A3B and 836 ms for DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash. These are routed probe measurements, not vendor-advertised speeds, and update as new samples arrive.

Can I test ERNIE 4.5 21B A3B and DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash with the same API?

Yes. Use the same OpenAI-compatible TrustedRouter base URL and API key, then change only the model id between baidu/ernie-4.5-21B-a3b and deepseek/deepseek-v4.1-flash. This makes side-by-side evals possible without maintaining two provider integrations.