Free outlier · by DeepSeek AI
DeepSeek: the free outlier.
Strong reasoning models, no paywall, no ads, no usage tiers. DeepSeek is the answer to "can I just not pay?" — and for a lot of people, it's a good answer.
Plans
DeepSeek pricing, August 2026.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | DeepSeek V4-Flash + V4-Pro, unlimited usage, chain-of-thought reasoning, web/iOS/Android |
| API | from $0.14/1M tokens | V4-Flash $0.14/$0.28 per 1M tokens in/out; V4-Pro $0.43/$0.87 — pennies per book-length of text |
- Completely free with unlimited usage
- Genuine chain-of-thought reasoning at $0
- API is among the cheapest capable options anywhere
- No ads, no upsells
- No ecosystem: no storage, Office, image or video extras
- China-based data handling is a dealbreaker for some workplaces
- Fewer product features than the paid majors
Our verdict: The best price in AI is still $0. Know its data-policy tradeoffs, then enjoy the free lunch.
Want DeepSeek and the other majors together?
AI bundles can combine several model families in one interface. Compare them by included models, caps, privacy terms, file support, search quality and cancellation rules.
Compare AI bundlesFAQ
DeepSeek questions.
Is DeepSeek really free?
Yes — the consumer apps have no paid tier at all. Revenue comes from the API, which is itself extremely cheap.
What's the catch?
Data is processed by a China-based company, which some employers and regulated industries prohibit. Feature-wise you also skip the extras (storage, Studios, integrations) paid plans bundle.
Sources
Where these prices come from.
Every price on this page was checked against the provider's official pricing page on 2026-08-29. Prices are USD, before local tax, and change often — the official page always wins. See how we verify prices.