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DeepSeek

A Chinese AI lab's chat app and a low cost API for its DeepSeek V4 models, usable with OpenAI or Anthropic style clients.

Needs a developerFree plan
Visit deepseek.com (opens in a new tab) ↗

Our take Kratuva

Best for
Builders running large volumes of non-sensitive text work where token cost matters most.
Not for
Teams handling client, personal or regulated data that must not be stored in China or used for training.

Price

From
API $0.15 per 1M input and $0.60 per 1M output tokens(deepseek-flash, off-peak, cache miss); $0.30 and $1.20 at peak; chat app has no paid plan listed
Model
prepaid balance, pay per token, with off-peak rates at half price
Free plan
Yes
Checked
9 Oct 2026

Prices change. Check the vendor page before you buy.

What DeepSeek is good at

  • Very low token prices: deepseek-flash is $0.15 per 1M input and $0.60 per 1M output tokens off-peak, with cache hits from $0.003.
  • Both models have a 1M token context and up to 384K output tokens, with tool calls and JSON output.
  • The API speaks both the OpenAI and the Anthropic request formats, so existing tools can point at it with a base URL change.

Where DeepSeek breaks

  • DeepSeek's privacy policy says it collects, processes and stores personal data in the People's Republic of China and may use it to train its models; you have a right to opt out of training.
  • Prices double during peak hours (01:00 to 04:00 and 06:00 to 10:00 UTC, Monday to Friday), so the cheapest rate depends on when jobs run.
  • There is no free API tier: usage is deducted from a topped-up balance, concurrency is capped per account (500 for deepseek-v4-pro) with 429 errors above it, and DeepSeek reserves the right to change prices.

When a custom build beats DeepSeek

When data residency matters, running an open-weight model on infrastructure you control, or through a host in your region, keeps the low cost without sending data to DeepSeek's servers.

Setup

Needs a developer. Plan for a developer to set it up and keep it running.

Sources

  1. api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/pricing
  2. api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/rate_limit
  3. cdn.deepseek.com/policies/en-US/deepseek-privacy-policy.html
  4. deepseek.com/en

Price checked 9 Oct 2026. If something here is out of date, email indra@kratuva.com and we will fix it.

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Checked 9 Oct 2026

Every price and claim links to its source. Prices change often, so check the vendor's page before you buy. No affiliate links: nobody paid to be here. Logos belong to their owners and are shown only to name each tool, not as an endorsement.