OpenAI vs DeepSeek: API Pricing and Model Comparison
OpenAI offers the broadest model catalog while DeepSeek offers ultra-low pricing on open-weight models. Here's how their pricing, models, and capabilities compare.
Pricing data sourced from our catalog. Check data sources for provenance and freshness.
Quick comparison
Here's a side-by-side comparison of the two providers:
| Feature | OpenAI | DeepSeek |
|---|---|---|
| Model count | 145 | 12 |
| Cheapest chat model | $0.45 | $0.42 |
| Reasoning models | 36 | 8 |
| Cheapest reasoning | $0.45 | $0.42 |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Self-hosting | No | Yes |
Pricing comparison
Chat models (per 1M tokens)
| Provider | Model | Input | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | gpt-5-nano | $0.05 | $0.40 |
| OpenAI | gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07 | $0.05 | $0.40 |
| OpenAI | gpt-4.1-nano | $0.10 | $0.40 |
| OpenAI | gpt-4.1-nano-2025-04-14 | $0.10 | $0.40 |
| DeepSeek | deepseek-coder | $0.1400 | $0.2800 |
| DeepSeek | deepseek-v4-flash | $0.1400 | $0.2800 |
| DeepSeek | deepseek-v4-flash | $0.1400 | $0.2800 |
| DeepSeek | deepseek-v3.2 | $0.2800 | $0.4000 |
Cost comparison by workload
Let's compare monthly costs for different workloads using the cheapest available models:
Budget chatbot
RAG application
Coding agent
Model strengths
OpenAI strengths
- Broadest catalog: Chat, embedding, image, audio, and moderation models
- Reasoning: o3, o4-mini for complex reasoning tasks
- Multimodal: GPT-4o for text, image, and audio processing
- Ecosystem: Largest developer community and tooling
DeepSeek strengths
- Ultra-low pricing: DeepSeek Chat at $0.28+$0.42 per 1M tokens
- Open source: Fully open models for self-hosting
- Coding: Dedicated DeepSeek Coder model
- Reasoning: DeepSeek R1 for chain-of-thought reasoning
When to choose OpenAI
- You need image, audio, or multimodal capabilities
- You want the broadest selection of model types
- You need reasoning models for complex tasks
- You want established ecosystem and tooling
- You need embedding or moderation models
When to choose DeepSeek
- Cost is your primary concern
- You want to self-host for complete control
- You need strong coding capabilities
- You want open-source models
- You're building high-volume, cost-sensitive applications
Compare side by side
Ready to compare specific models? Use our tools:
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Frequently asked questions
Which provider is cheaper?
DeepSeek is significantly cheaper than OpenAI. DeepSeek Chat costs $0.70 per 1M tokens combined, while OpenAI's cheapest chat model costs around $0.20 per 1M tokens. For high-volume workloads, DeepSeek often wins on cost.
Which is better for coding?
Both offer strong coding models. DeepSeek has a dedicated Coder model, while OpenAI offers Codex and GPT-4. DeepSeek's pricing makes it attractive for high-volume coding workloads.
Can I self-host DeepSeek models?
Yes, DeepSeek models are fully open-source and can be self-hosted. OpenAI models are proprietary and only available through their API.
Which has better reasoning?
Both offer strong reasoning models. OpenAI has o3 and o4-mini, while DeepSeek has R1. DeepSeek R1 is often more cost-effective for reasoning tasks.