Head-to-head · verified September 25, 2026
Copilot vs DeepSeek: price comparison
DeepSeek has no paid consumer plan; Copilot starts at $19.99/mo (Microsoft 365 Premium).
Plans tier by tier
| Microsoft Copilot | DeepSeek | |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Copilot Free Free | DeepSeek (free app) Free |
| Entry (under $15) | — | — |
| Standard (~$20) | Microsoft 365 Premium $19.99/mo | — |
| Premium ($90+) | — | — |
Key numbers
| Copilot | DeepSeek | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest paid plan | Microsoft 365 Premium $19.99/mo | None |
| Most expensive plan | Microsoft 365 Premium $19.99/mo | — |
| Plans on sale | 2 | 1 |
| Annual discount | Yes | Not listed |
| Cheapest API model | No public API | DeepSeek V4.1-Flash $0.15 / $0.60 |
| Priciest API model | No public API | DeepSeek V4-Pro $0.66 / $1.98 |
Pick Copilot if…
Freelancers, small businesses and households that spend hours a week in Word, Excel and Outlook.
- AI where your documents already live
- M365 Premium bundles Office, storage and AI for $19.99
- Annual plan at $199.99 is shared with up to 6 people (Office + storage)
Buy the ecosystem, not the chatbot. If Office is your day, it earns its price; otherwise look elsewhere.
Microsoft Copilot plans in detail →Pick DeepSeek if…
Budget-first users, students, and developers who want cheap reasoning via API.
- Consumer app is free
- API among the cheapest capable options
- V4.1-Flash replaced V4-Flash on Sept 10, 2026
The best price in AI is still $0. Know the data-policy trade-offs first.
DeepSeek plans in detail →Recent changes
Copilot vs DeepSeek: questions
Do Copilot and DeepSeek both have a free plan?
Yes. Copilot Free: copilot in windows, edge and on the web. DeepSeek (free app): no paid tier, reasoning mode.
Should I choose Copilot or DeepSeek?
Choose Copilot if you are: freelancers, small businesses and households that spend hours a week in Word, Excel and Outlook. Choose DeepSeek if you are: budget-first users, students, and developers who want cheap reasoning via API.
Sources
Checked against the official pages below on September 25, 2026. Prices are USD before local tax. See how we verify prices and the change log.