Free outlier · by DeepSeek AI · verified September 25, 2026
DeepSeek: the free outlier.
Strong reasoning models, no paywall and no subscription tiers in the consumer app. The API is among the cheapest anywhere, though since September 10, 2026 it charges double at peak hours.
DeepSeek plans and prices, September 2026
- Consumer app is free
- API among the cheapest capable options
- V4.1-Flash replaced V4-Flash on Sept 10, 2026
- No storage, office or media extras
- China-based data handling rules it out for some workplaces
- API now has peak-hour pricing (2× during set UTC windows on weekdays)
Best for: Budget-first users, students, and developers who want cheap reasoning via API.
Verdict: The best price in AI is still $0. Know the data-policy trade-offs first.
DeepSeek AI API prices
Per million tokens, input / output.
| Model | Provider | Input /1M | Output /1M | Context | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeepSeek V4.1-Flash | DeepSeek AI | $0.15 | $0.60 | 1M | Off-peak price. Peak hours (weekdays 01–04 & 06–10 UTC): $0.30 / $1.20. Replaced V4-Flash. |
| DeepSeek V4-Pro | DeepSeek AI | $0.66 | $1.98 | 1M | Off-peak price. Peak: $1.32 / $3.96. Planned Sept 14 retirement was reversed. |
DeepSeek price history
No price or plan changes recorded since we started tracking. We re-check every week.
Latest news
- V4.1-Flash replaces V4-Flash; peak pricing
V4.1-Flash $0.15 / $0.60 off-peak. API prices double during weekday peak windows (01–04 and 06–10 UTC). V4-Pro now $0.66 / $1.98 off-peak.
DeepSeek pricing questions
Is DeepSeek really free?
The consumer apps have no paid tier. Revenue comes from the API.
What is DeepSeek peak pricing?
Since September 10, 2026, API calls cost 2× during 01:00–04:00 and 06:00–10:00 UTC on weekdays. Our tables show the off-peak price.
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.