Side-by-side comparison

ChatGPT vs DeepSeek

Plans, free tiers and API access for ChatGPT and DeepSeek, from each vendor's own pages. Last checked Oct 4, 2026.

ChatGPTAssistant

DeepSeekAssistant

The short answer

Both ChatGPT and DeepSeek have an ongoing free plan.
On LiveBench (2026-06-25), ChatGPT's best model (GPT-6 Astra Max Effort) scores 82.2 against 81.1 for DeepSeek's best (DeepSeek V4.1 Flash Max Effort).

Pricing and features

ChatGPTDeepSeek

Starting price

$20/mo

Not listed

Paid plans

Plus$20/mo

No published monthly price

Free plan

Free planFree tier with limited messages and models

Free planFree web chat and mobile app with rate limits

API access

API availableOpenAI API billed separately from ChatGPT plans

API availableAPI is billed pay as you go per million tokens; see the platform pricing page

Best for

Individuals and teams who want a general-purpose assistant in browser and mobile apps, from quick questions to longer writing and analysis workflows.

Developers wanting low-cost token pricing for chat, coding agents, and custom apps.

Watch out for

All plans carry usage limits that can tighten at peak demand; Plus/Go limits differ by model and feature. API access, rate limits, and data handling follow separate OpenAI API terms.

There is no paid web or app plan. The API is billed per million tokens and rates change, so check the platform page.

How to choose

The main gap is how you pay. ChatGPT sells a Plus subscription at $20 per month. DeepSeek has no flat monthly plan; its free web chat and mobile app are rate limited, and a price for any paid web chat was not confirmed. Its API is pay as you go per million tokens, with rates that differ between peak hours (01-04 and 06-10 UTC on weekdays) and off-peak. ChatGPT's API is billed separately from its plans too, but DeepSeek positions its offering at developers wanting low-cost token pricing for chat, coding agents and custom apps. ChatGPT is aimed at individuals and teams who want a general assistant in browser and mobile apps.

ChatGPT: You want a predictable $20 monthly subscription with a general-purpose assistant in browser and mobile apps instead of metered usage.
DeepSeek: You are a developer who would rather pay per million tokens, and can schedule API work around peak and off-peak rates.
Either: You just want a free chat assistant with rate limits and have no need for a paid plan right now.

Reviewed Oct 5, 2026. Prices and plans can change, so confirm on the vendor's site.

LiveBench results

Best-scoring model per vendor in the 2026-06-25 LiveBench release (14 OpenAI and 4 DeepSeek configurations). Scores are out of 100.

GPT-6 Astra Max EffortDeepSeek V4.1 Flash Max Effort

Overall

82.2

81.1

Reasoning

92.7

86.7

Coding

80.4

80.0

Agentic Coding

57.3

77.3

Mathematics

96.8

93.3

Data Analysis

83.0

79.3

Language

89.4

81.2

Instruction Following

75.6

70.0

Cost per successful task

$0.736

$0.029

Source: LiveBench, imported Oct 5, 2026. Explore every model.

Common questions

Which is cheaper, ChatGPT or DeepSeek?

We could not confirm a starting price for both tools. See the plan table above.

Is ChatGPT free?

Free plan. Free tier with limited messages and models

Is DeepSeek free?

Free plan. Free web chat and mobile app with rate limits

Which scores higher on benchmarks, ChatGPT or DeepSeek?

In the 2026-06-25 LiveBench release, GPT-6 Astra Max Effort scores 82.2 and DeepSeek V4.1 Flash Max Effort scores 81.1 overall. Scores measure the benchmark, not your own workload.

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