DeepSeek is a Chinese AI company from Hangzhou. It became world news in January 2025, when its R1 model matched much more expensive Western models. In 2026 DeepSeek is still known for two things: a free chat app and very low API prices, together with open model weights under the MIT license.
Current DeepSeek models
- DeepSeek V4 Pro: the most capable model, released in April 2026, with a one-million-token context window and open weights.
- DeepSeek V4.1 Flash: the fast, low-cost model, released in September 2026 and updated in October, which also understands images.
DeepSeek API prices
DeepSeek uses peak and off-peak prices. Off-peak is half price. Peak hours are 01:00 to 04:00 and 06:00 to 10:00 UTC on weekdays, which is 05:00 to 08:00 and 10:00 to 14:00 in Yerevan.
| Per 1M tokens | V4.1 Flash, peak | V4.1 Flash, off-peak | V4 Pro, peak | V4 Pro, off-peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input, cache miss | $0.30 | $0.15 | $1.32 | $0.66 |
| Input, cache hit | $0.006 | $0.003 | $0.044 | $0.022 |
| Output | $1.20 | $0.60 | $3.96 | $1.98 |
Since November 1, 2026 DeepSeek also charges $0.75 per 1,000 successful requests for its Search and Fetch APIs. The API is prepaid, with no monthly subscription.
Strengths
- The chat app is free on the web and on phones.
- Very low API prices, especially off-peak and with cached input.
- Open weights under the MIT license, so you can host the models yourself.
Weak points
- Data from the app and API is processed in China, which is a concern for client and personal data.
- Fewer extra features than ChatGPT or Gemini: no built-in image or video generation.
- The model answers some political topics according to Chinese rules.
Who should use DeepSeek
DeepSeek is a smart choice for developers and startups that process large amounts of non-sensitive text and want the lowest cost. For everyday office work with client data, a service with clearer data rules, or a self-hosted copy of the open model, is safer.
Prices and dates in this article were checked on November 10, 2026. AI companies change them often, so always confirm on the official pricing page before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Is DeepSeek free?
The chat app is free. The API is paid by usage, but it is among the cheapest on the market.
Is DeepSeek safe to use?
It is fine for general questions and public information. Avoid uploading confidential business or personal data to the hosted service.
When is DeepSeek cheapest?
Outside peak hours. In Yerevan time, avoid 05:00 to 08:00 and 10:00 to 14:00 on weekdays to get half price.
Read next
- Kimi AI Review 2026: Kimi K3 and K3.1 Pro, Features and Prices
- Chinese AI Models in 2026: Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen and GLM Compared
- AI API Prices Compared, November 2026: Claude, GPT-6, Gemini, Grok, Kimi and DeepSeek
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