ChatGPT vs DeepSeek in 2026: chat app or per-token API
Pick ChatGPT for a finished chat app and DeepSeek for a pay-per-token API. ChatGPT has a Free plan, Plus at $20/month and apps for web, desktop and mobile. DeepSeek's documented offer is its API: deepseek-flash starts at $0.15 per 1M input tokens off-peak. We could not verify the DeepSeek chat app's price, free status or privacy terms.
Starting priceFree; Plus $20/mo · API from $0.15 per 1M input tokens (off-peak)ChatGPT · DeepSeek
Free tierYes · Not confirmedChatGPT · DeepSeek
Plans documented10 · 5ChatGPT · DeepSeek
PlatformsWeb, desktop, mobile, API · Web, APIChatGPT · DeepSeek
We based this comparison on our ChatGPT profile verified 2026-09-30 and our DeepSeek profile verified 2026-10-05, both built from official vendor pages; it uses no third-party benchmarks and no vendor paid for placement.
ChatGPT é melhor que DeepSeek? A resposta curta
ChatGPT is the better-documented choice for everyday chat: it has a free tier, web, desktop and mobile apps, and published business privacy controls. DeepSeek's verified strength is its API, which is billed per 1M tokens and accepts OpenAI- or Anthropic-format requests. We could not verify the DeepSeek chat app's free status, plans or privacy terms, so a like-for-like chat comparison is incomplete. Developers who pay per token should look at DeepSeek; people who want one subscription app should look at ChatGPT.
Based on our ChatGPT profile verified 2026-09-30 and DeepSeek profile verified 2026-10-05; the DeepSeek chat app could not be checked because the site blocked automated access, and no benchmark was run.
ChatGPT ou DeepSeek: qual usar, por tarefa
Se você só quer a resposta, é esta tabela. Tudo abaixo é a evidência dos dois perfis documentados.
Comparação lado a lado
Você quer
Usar
Por quê
Chat about everyday questions for free
ChatGPT
ChatGPT Free gives unlimited everyday text chat; DeepSeek's chat app free status is unconfirmed
Write or edit documents
ChatGPT
ChatGPT lists drafting and editing text plus editable documents via ChatGPT Work
Summarize or analyze uploaded files
ChatGPT
ChatGPT documents file uploads and data analysis; DeepSeek's profile lists none for chat
Generate images
ChatGPT
ChatGPT lists image generation; DeepSeek lists no image output
Research with cited web search
ChatGPT
ChatGPT has web search with citations and deep research; DeepSeek has a Search mode with undocumented sources
Work through a multi-step problem
Either
ChatGPT offers reasoning models on Plus; DeepSeek offers DeepThink mode
Build an app on a model API
DeepSeek
DeepSeek's API takes OpenAI- or Anthropic-format requests with JSON output and tool calls
Pay per token instead of a subscription
DeepSeek
DeepSeek bills per 1M tokens; no ChatGPT plan includes API usage
Run a team workspace with SSO
ChatGPT
ChatGPT Business and Enterprise offer shared workspaces, SAML SSO and SCIM
Use a coding agent
Either
ChatGPT includes Codex; DeepSeek's API docs list agent integrations
Quem deve escolher qual
Pick ChatGPT for a free everyday chat app, DeepSeek for per-token API use
Escolha ChatGPT se
You want a free plan for everyday text chat (ChatGPT Free, with caps on uploads, images, voice and deep research)
You need apps for web, desktop and mobile in one product
You want file analysis, image generation, voice and cited web search in the same app
Your team needs Business or Enterprise plans with SSO and no training on workspace data by default
Escolha DeepSeek se
You are a developer who wants to call a model through an OpenAI- or Anthropic-compatible API
You prefer paying per token (per 1M tokens, USD) over a monthly subscription
You can schedule heavy jobs off-peak, when listed API rates are half of peak rates
You need a 1M-token context length with tool calls and JSON output
O que ChatGPT faz melhor e o que DeepSeek faz melhor
ChatGPT
Apps for web, desktop and mobile
File uploads, data analysis, image generation and voice in one product
Web search with citations and deep research reports
Business and Enterprise plans with SSO, SCIM and no training on workspace data by default
DeepSeek
Per-token API pricing published openly, with off-peak rates at half of peak
OpenAI-format and Anthropic-format API endpoints
1M-token context with JSON output and tool calls
Vision on deepseek-flash through the API
Preços de ChatGPT vs DeepSeek: planos e versões gratuitas
Comparação lado a lado
Plano
Ferramenta
Preço
Limites
ChatGPT Free
ChatGPT
$0
Unlimited everyday text chat subject to safeguards; separate caps on uploads, images, voice
Free: unlimited everyday text chat subject to safeguards; other tools capped by plan
API concurrency 2,500 (deepseek-flash) and 500 (deepseek-v4-pro); chat app limits not stated
Context / file size
Free Library storage of 500 MB; context length not stated
1M-token context, 384K max output
Seats / team
Business needs 2 seats minimum; Enterprise via sales
No team plans documented
Comparação de recursos
Comparação lado a lado
Recurso
ChatGPT
DeepSeek
Image generation
Yes
No
Voice
Yes
Not stated
File upload
Yes
Not stated
Web search
Yes
Yes (Search mode)
Reasoning mode
Yes (reasoning models on paid plans)
Yes (DeepThink)
Agents / tools
Codex and ChatGPT Work
Tool calls through the API
API
Yes, separate product billed by usage
Yes, billed per 1M tokens
Mobile apps
Yes
Not verified
Privacidade e treinamento com dados
Comparação lado a lado
ChatGPT
DeepSeek
Training on your data
Consumer chats may be used unless you opt out or use temporary chat; Business, Enterprise and API not by default
Not stated
Retention
Temporary chats may be kept up to 30 days for safety; consumer default not verified
Not stated
Business controls
SAML SSO, SCIM, role-based access, DPA, SOC 2
Not stated
Extraído das páginas de política publicadas por cada fornecedor no momento da nossa verificação. As políticas mudam; os links das fontes estão no final.
Custo por resposta na API
Support assistant: 2,500 input + 500 output tokens
Comparação lado a lado
Modelo
Ferramenta
Custo por resposta
gpt-6-luna
ChatGPT
$0.0005
gpt-6.1-sol
ChatGPT
$0.0100
gpt-6-astra
ChatGPT
$0.0500
DeepSeek V4.1 Flash
DeepSeek
$0.0014
DeepSeek V4 Pro 0813
DeepSeek
$0.0053
USD at list API prices from research/pricing/models.json (DeepSeek at peak rates); chat subscriptions are flat-rate and not included Faça seus próprios cálculos na calculadora.
Trocar entre ChatGPT e DeepSeek: o que é mantido
ChatGPT → DeepSeekContinua valendo
Text prompts and general questions
API code that already uses OpenAI-format requests
O que você perde
Image generation, voice and file analysis in the app
Projects, memory and custom GPTs
Team workspace and SSO controls
DeepSeek → ChatGPTContinua valendo
Text prompts and general questions
Reasoning-style questions
O que você perde
Anthropic-format API endpoint
Per-token billing with off-peak discounts
1M-token context on the API
Prós e contras
ChatGPT
Free plan available for everyday chat
Apps for web, iOS, Android and desktop
Business and Enterprise plans with SSO and admin controls
Free plan limits uploads, images, voice and deep research
Want a ready chat app with files, images and voice: choose ChatGPT
Need a free plan you can verify: choose ChatGPT
Need SSO or a shared team workspace: choose ChatGPT
Building on an API and paying per token: choose DeepSeek
Can schedule jobs off-peak to halve API rates: DeepSeek fits
Need documented privacy terms for sensitive data: choose ChatGPT, since DeepSeek's terms are unverified
Perguntas frequentes
Is DeepSeek cheaper than ChatGPT?
For API use, DeepSeek publishes per-token prices, from $0.15 per 1M input tokens off-peak for deepseek-flash. ChatGPT subscriptions are monthly (Plus is $20/month) and its API is billed separately. We could not confirm a DeepSeek chat app price, so a chat-to-chat price comparison is not possible.
Is the DeepSeek chat app free?
Unconfirmed: we could not verify whether the DeepSeek chat app is free. The chat site blocked our automated check, so the free status and plans are unverified. ChatGPT has a documented Free plan with unlimited everyday text chat, subject to guardrails and caps on other tools.
Does ChatGPT or DeepSeek use my chats for training?
ChatGPT consumer plans may use conversations to improve models unless you turn that off or use temporary chat; Business, Enterprise and API data is not used by default. DeepSeek's training and retention terms were not verified, so check its policy before sharing sensitive data.
Which has an API, ChatGPT or DeepSeek?
ChatGPT and DeepSeek both have an API. OpenAI's API is a separate usage-billed product that no ChatGPT plan includes. DeepSeek's API is billed per 1M tokens and offers OpenAI- and Anthropic-format endpoints, with rates that depend on peak or off-peak hours.