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DeepSeek

AI chat assistant and low-cost LLM API for consumers and developers

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DeepSeek screenshot

Pricing

Paid

API

Yes

Company

DeepSeek

GitHub stars

263.8K

Platforms

WebiOSAndroidAPI

What is DeepSeek?

DeepSeek is an AI company that makes the DeepSeek series of large language models. People can use them through a web chat, a mobile app, a desktop client called DeepSeek Harness, and a developer API. The chat apps handle conversation, deep thinking (reasoning), and search.

The API is compatible with both the OpenAI and Anthropic formats. It offers two models: deepseek-flash (V4.1 Flash) and deepseek-v4-pro. Both have a 1M-token context window and up to 384K output tokens. The API supports a thinking mode, reasoning-effort settings, streaming, and paid web search and page fetching. Billing is per million tokens, with lower prices for cache hits and off-peak hours.

The chat products suit people who want a general AI assistant. The API suits developers and teams that need long-context models at low per-token prices.

Key features

  • Web chat at chat.deepseek.com
  • Mobile app and DeepSeek Harness desktop client
  • OpenAI- and Anthropic-compatible API
  • 1M-token context window, 384K max output
  • Thinking mode with adjustable reasoning effort
  • Web search and page fetch through the API
  • Discounted pricing for cache hits and off-peak hours

Use cases

Who it's for

DevelopersAI app buildersGeneral consumersResearchers

General AI assistant

Ask questions, reason through problems, and search the web in the web chat or mobile app.

Low-cost LLM backend

Use DeepSeek models in your apps through an OpenAI-compatible API with per-token billing.

Coding agents

Connect DeepSeek to Claude Code or Codex through the Anthropic-compatible endpoint.

Long-document processing

Work with very large inputs using the 1M-token context window.

DeepSeek pricing

From the vendor's site, checked Oct 26, 2026; we re-check prices monthly. Prices change — confirm on their pricing page.

deepseek-flash API

pay-as-you-go

$0.15/1M input tokens (cache miss, off-peak), $0.6/1M output tokens off-peak; peak rates are double

  • Input cache hit: $0.003/1M tokens off-peak
  • 1M context, 384K max output
  • Concurrency limit 2500

deepseek-v4-pro API

pay-as-you-go

$0.66/1M input tokens (cache miss, off-peak), $1.98/1M output tokens off-peak; peak rates are double

  • Input cache hit: $0.022/1M tokens off-peak
  • 1M context, 384K max output
  • Concurrency limit 500

Search & Fetch

per request

$0.75 per 1,000 successful requests

  • Currently free through Harness, Claude Code, or Codex; per-request billing starts Nov 1, 2026

How DeepSeek compares

  • DeepSeek has no free plan, while all 4 alternatives below have one.
  • It offers an API, which only 2 of the others do.
ToolStarts atFree planFree trialAPIOpen source
DDeepSeek————
CChatGPT$8/mo———DeepSeek vs ChatGPT
GGemini——DeepSeek vs Gemini
CClaude$17/mo——DeepSeek vs Claude
MMicrosoft Copilot$18/mo———DeepSeek vs Microsoft Copilot
Compare 3 capabilities
CapabilityDeepSeekChatGPTMicrosoft Copilot
Web search—
File upload & analysis——
Image generation—

Capabilities as stated on each vendor's own site; — means the site doesn't say. The closest alternatives in our directory by category. “Starts at” is the cheapest paid plan per month, as each vendor lists it.

Pros and cons

Strengths

  • Off-peak API prices are 50% of peak prices
  • 1M-token context on both API models
  • Works with OpenAI and Anthropic API formats
  • Available on web, mobile, and desktop

Limitations

  • Peak-hour API rates are twice the off-peak rates
  • Web search and fetch through the API cost extra per request
  • The site does not state free-tier terms or limits for the chat apps

DeepSeek FAQ

How much does the DeepSeek API cost?

deepseek-flash costs $0.15 per 1M input tokens (cache miss) and $0.6 per 1M output tokens off-peak. deepseek-v4-pro costs $0.66 and $1.98. Peak rates are double.

When are peak hours?

Monday to Friday, 01:00–04:00 and 06:00–10:00 UTC, excluding Chinese public holidays. All other times are off-peak.

Is the API compatible with OpenAI?

Yes. It works with the OpenAI format at https://api.deepseek.com and the Anthropic format at https://api.deepseek.com/anthropic.

Where can I use DeepSeek?

In the web chat, the mobile app, the DeepSeek Harness desktop client, and through the API.

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