Chat assistants · pricing
Choose DeepSeek when you want to call a 1M-context model through an OpenAI- or Anthropic-compatible API and pay per token, ideally scheduling heavy jobs off-peak.
DeepSeek's documented pricing is usage-based, not a subscription. The API charges per 1M tokens, with separate rates for input (cache miss), cached input and output. There are two models. deepseek-flash costs $0.30 per 1M input tokens and $1.20 per 1M output tokens at peak, and exactly half off-peak: $0.15 and $0.60. deepseek-v4-pro costs $1.32 input and $3.96 output at peak, or $0.66 and $1.98 off-peak. Peak hours are 01:00-04:00 and 06:00-10:00 UTC, Monday to Friday; every other hour, including weekends, is off-peak.
Cache hits are far cheaper than cache misses: for deepseek-flash, $0.006 per 1M input tokens at peak and $0.003 off-peak; for deepseek-v4-pro, $0.044 and $0.022. Both models list a 1M-token context and a 384K maximum output. The API deducts from a granted balance first, then from a topped-up balance. Whether the chat app is free, and what plans it has, could not be confirmed because the chat site blocked automated access, so no chat price is stated here.
| Plan | Price | Billing | Who it is for | Key limits | API |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| deepseek-flash input (cache miss) API |
$0.3 per 1M tokens | Per 1M tokens | Cost-sensitive API use | Peak hours 01:00-04:00 and 06:00-10:00 UTC Mon-Fri; Context 1M, max output 384K; Concurrency 2500 | Included |
| deepseek-flash output API |
$1.2 per 1M tokens | Per 1M tokens | Cost-sensitive API use | Off-peak is all other hours incl. weekends | Included |
| deepseek-v4-pro input (cache miss) API |
$1.32 per 1M tokens | Per 1M tokens | Higher-capability API use | Vision not supported; Concurrency 500; Context 1M, max output 384K | Included |
| deepseek-v4-pro output API |
$3.96 per 1M tokens | Per 1M tokens | Higher-capability API use | Off-peak is all other hours incl. weekends | Included |
| Chat app web |
See official pricing | Unknown | General chat users | Not stated | Not stated |
| If you | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| you want the cheapest API calls and can run jobs in batches | deepseek-flash, off-peak ($0.15 in / $0.60 out per 1M) | Half the peak rate, with vision, JSON output and tool calls. Concurrency is listed at 2500. |
| you need flash in interactive, time-of-day-bound use | deepseek-flash, peak ($0.30 in / $1.20 out per 1M) | Same model and limits at the full rate. Cache hits drop input to $0.006 per 1M. |
| you need the higher-capability model for heavy jobs | deepseek-v4-pro, off-peak ($0.66 in / $1.98 out per 1M) | Half the peak rate. Vision is not supported, and concurrency is listed at 500. |
| you need deepseek-v4-pro on a fixed schedule | deepseek-v4-pro, peak ($1.32 in / $3.96 out per 1M) | Full rate for the same model, with JSON output and tool calls. Cached input is $0.044 per 1M. |
| you only want to chat in the app | Chat app (price not confirmed) | Its free status and plans were not verified, so check the vendor's site before relying on it. |
Chat app free status not confirmed; the fetched chat site returned an error to the bot. The API deducts from a granted balance first, then a topped-up balance.
Not documented in fetched pages; granted balance is mentioned in deduction rules.
None listed beyond per-token usage; vendor reserves the right to change prices.
Not stated.
Prices checked Oct 5, 2026 on the official US pricing page. Official pricing ↗ Prices and limits change often.
Chat app free status not confirmed; the fetched chat site returned an error to the bot. The API deducts from a granted balance first, then a topped-up balance.
Not documented in fetched pages; granted balance is mentioned in deduction rules.
$0.3 per 1M tokens source (opens in a new tab)
Per 1M tokens
Peak $0.30; off-peak $0.15 (half). Cache hit: $0.006 peak / $0.003 off-peak.
For: Cost-sensitive API use
Limits
Includes
API included
$1.2 per 1M tokens source (opens in a new tab)
Per 1M tokens
Peak $1.20; off-peak $0.60 (half).
For: Cost-sensitive API use
Limits
Includes
API included
$1.32 per 1M tokens source (opens in a new tab)
Per 1M tokens
Peak $1.32; off-peak $0.66 (half). Cache hit: $0.044 peak / $0.022 off-peak.
For: Higher-capability API use
Limits
Includes
API included
$3.96 per 1M tokens source (opens in a new tab)
Per 1M tokens
Peak $3.96; off-peak $1.98 (half).
For: Higher-capability API use
Limits
Includes
API included
See official pricing source (opens in a new tab)
Unknown
For: General chat users
None listed beyond per-token usage; vendor reserves the right to change prices.
Not stated.
Off-peak applies to every hour except 01:00-04:00 and 06:00-10:00 UTC on weekdays (Chinese public holidays count as off-peak), and costs half the peak rate. source (opens in a new tab)
Both have 1M context, 384K max output, JSON output and tool calls. Flash supports vision and is cheaper (peak $0.30 input cache-miss, $1.20 output); Pro does not support vision (peak $1.32 / $3.96). source (opens in a new tab)
Cost equals tokens times price, deducted from a granted balance first and then your topped-up balance. source (opens in a new tab)
They are still accepted, but the old models are retired; requests are served by DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and billed at the Flash price. source (opens in a new tab)
Exactly half. deepseek-flash drops from $0.30 to $0.15 per 1M input tokens and from $1.20 to $0.60 per 1M output; deepseek-v4-pro drops from $1.32 to $0.66 input and from $3.96 to $1.98 output.
01:00-04:00 and 06:00-10:00 UTC, Monday to Friday. All other hours, including weekends, are billed at the off-peak rate.
$0.044 per 1M input tokens at peak and $0.022 off-peak, versus $1.32 and $0.66 for a cache miss.
Not confirmed. The chat site blocked automated access, so its free status and any plans are unverified; the documented prices cover the API only.
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