DeepSeek vs OpenAI — API Comparison

Q: Which is cheaper, DeepSeek or OpenAI?

DeepSeek input: DeepSeek-V3: ¥0.14/M token (≈$0.02), R1: ¥0.14/M; output: DeepSeek-V3: ¥0.28/M token (≈$0.04), R1: ¥0.28/M. OpenAI input: GPT-6 Astra: $10/M input + $50/M output (1.05M context, cache $1/$12.50, Fast 2x, Batch 50%); GPT-6.1 Sol: $2/M input + $10/M output Standard (1.05M context); GPT-6.1 Terra: $1/M input + $5/M output Standard, $0.50/$2.50 Batch (1.05M context, >272K input = 2x input / 1.5x output); GPT-5.6 Sol: $4/$20 Standard, $2/$10 Batch (promo through Nov 21, 2026); GPT-5: $1.25/$10, GPT-5 mini: $0.25/$2, GPT-4o: $2.50/$10, GPT-4o mini: $0.15/$0.60; output: Batch/Flex API for all models: 50% discount; long-context (>272K input): 2x Standard tier; Fast mode: 2x applicable rates; cache writes 1.25x input.

Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, and use case fit. Updated November 5, 2026.

⚡ Verdict: DeepSeek wins on price and China access; OpenAI wins on ecosystem and capability ceiling.

💰 Pricing Comparison

Metric	DeepSeek	OpenAI
Input Price	DeepSeek-V3: ¥0.14/M token (≈$0.02), R1: ¥0.14/M	GPT-6 Astra: $10/M input + $50/M output (1.05M context, cache $1/$12.50, Fast 2x, Batch 50%); GPT-6.1 Sol: $2/M input + $10/M output Standard (1.05M context); GPT-6.1 Terra: $1/M input + $5/M output Standard, $0.50/$2.50 Batch (1.05M context, >272K input = 2x input / 1.5x output); GPT-5.6 Sol: $4/$20 Standard, $2/$10 Batch (promo through Nov 21, 2026); GPT-5: $1.25/$10, GPT-5 mini: $0.25/$2, GPT-4o: $2.50/$10, GPT-4o mini: $0.15/$0.60
Output Price	DeepSeek-V3: ¥0.28/M token (≈$0.04), R1: ¥0.28/M	Batch/Flex API for all models: 50% discount; long-context (>272K input): 2x Standard tier; Fast mode: 2x applicable rates; cache writes 1.25x input
China Access	✅ Direct access in China	❌ Proxy required (export control restrictions for China users)
Free Tier		New accounts receive $5 in credits valid for 3 months
Models	3+	14+
Overall Rank	#4	#1

🤖 Supported Models

DeepSeek

DeepSeek-V3DeepSeek-R1DeepSeek-Coder-V2

OpenAI

GPT-6 Astra (frontier, $10/$50 Standard, $1/$12.50 cache, 1.05M context, ExploitBench 100%, Critical cybersecurity)GPT-6.1 Terra (fast, $1/$5 Standard, $0.50/$2.50 Batch, 1.05M context, computer use)GPT-6.1 Sol (frontier, $2/$10 Standard, $1/$5 Batch, 1.05M context)GPT-5.6-Sol (frontier, $4/$20 Standard, $2/$10 Batch)GPT-5.6-Terra (mid-tier, $2/$12 Standard, $1/$6 Batch)GPT-5.6-Luna (efficient, $0.20/$1.20 Standard, $0.10/$0.60 Batch)GPT-5GPT-5-mini +6 more

✨ Pros

DeepSeek

✓ Industry-lowest pricing: DeepSeek-V3 ¥0.14/M input
✓ R1 reasoning model: o1-comparable capabilities at ¥0.14/M
✓ Direct China access, no proxy needed
✓ ¥500 free credits on signup, generous trial
✓ Fully open-source model series, active community
✓ Chinese-optimized, excellent for local use cases

OpenAI

✓ Reference implementation of the OpenAI Chat Completions API; every 'OpenAI-compatible' third-party provider targets parity with this surface.
✓ GPT-5.6 Sol cut to $4/$20 Standard on August 22, 2026 — promotional through at least November 21, 2026; Batch tier effectively $2/$10.
✓ GPT-5.6 family has three SKUs (Sol frontier $4/$20, Terra mid $2/$12, Luna efficient $0.20/$1.20) for capability-tiered workloads.
✓ First-party support for function calling, structured outputs (JSON schema), streaming (SSE), Realtime voice, vision (images + PDFs), and async Batch API at 50% off.
✓ Chat Completions / Responses / Assistants / Realtime / Images / Audio / Embeddings — seven distinct API surfaces for different workloads.
✓ Enterprise tier ships SOC 2 Type II + ISO 27001 + HIPAA eligibility + Zero Data Retention + EU data residency + admin SSO + audit log API.
✓ $5 in free credits for new accounts, valid for 3 months; org-wide rate limits visible in dashboard; per-key usage telemetry on every model.

⚠️ Cons

DeepSeek

× Limited model selection (only 3)
× API occasional instability under high China traffic
× English capabilities slightly behind GPT-4o/Claude
× No multimodal output
× Limited Function Calling (R1 doesn't support, V3 limited)

OpenAI

× Higher API costs (o1 series $15-60/M)
× China requires proxy for access
× Frequent output model updates, occasional API compatibility issues
× High token consumption, especially o1 series
× No special discounts beyond batch credits

🎯 Best For

DeepSeek

China-based developers; cost-sensitive applications; reasoning tasks (R1); bilingual scenarios

OpenAI

Production workloads requiring industry benchmark quality; Function Calling/Structured Output; multimodal applications

❓ FAQ

Which is cheaper, DeepSeek or OpenAI? ▼

DeepSeek — Input: DeepSeek-V3: ¥0.14/M token (≈$0.02), R1: ¥0.14/M, Output: DeepSeek-V3: ¥0.28/M token (≈$0.04), R1: ¥0.28/M. OpenAI — Input: GPT-6 Astra: $10/M input + $50/M output (1.05M context, cache $1/$12.50, Fast 2x, Batch 50%); GPT-6.1 Sol: $2/M input + $10/M output Standard (1.05M context); GPT-6.1 Terra: $1/M input + $5/M output Standard, $0.50/$2.50 Batch (1.05M context, >272K input = 2x input / 1.5x output); GPT-5.6 Sol: $4/$20 Standard, $2/$10 Batch (promo through Nov 21, 2026); GPT-5: $1.25/$10, GPT-5 mini: $0.25/$2, GPT-4o: $2.50/$10, GPT-4o mini: $0.15/$0.60, Output: Batch/Flex API for all models: 50% discount; long-context (>272K input): 2x Standard tier; Fast mode: 2x applicable rates; cache writes 1.25x input.

Which is better for China access? ▼

DeepSeek: ✅ Direct access in China. OpenAI: ❌ Proxy required (export control restrictions for China users).

What is the overall verdict? ▼

DeepSeek wins on price and China access; OpenAI wins on ecosystem and capability ceiling.

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