The DeepSeek Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about DeepSeek in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
DeepSeek
The Insider’s Guide
Free AI chat assistant built on DeepSeek's openly released models
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI assistants, read from DeepSeek’s own pages.
Made by DeepSeek · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from DeepSeek’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on DeepSeek’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 39 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade
DeepSeek is a free AI chat assistant from the Hangzhou-based company of the same name, offered on the web and in iOS and Android apps with DeepThink and Search modes. The company releases its models openly and sells API access to them per token. DeepSeek Harness, an open-source desktop agent app for macOS and Windows, is in public preview.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about DeepSeek, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It's a chat box with DeepThink and Search beside it, and the rating is what we go by here.
- 1
Best for free chat with nothing to upgrade to
DeepSeek is a free AI chat on the web, iPhone and Android, with a DeepThink mode for reasoning and a Search mode for the web, and no paid consumer plan.
- 2
It is free
DeepSeek has no paid plan at all. The web chat and the iOS and Android apps are free, and the US App Store listing shows no in-app purchases. API usage is billed separately per token.
- 3
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, iOS, Android, macOS and Windows.
- 4
DeepThink and Search modes
Two modes sit beside the chat box on DeepSeek's site: DeepThink, for reasoning through a question, and Search, for answers that draw on the web.
- 5
Visual understanding
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash, released in September 2026, adds native visual understanding alongside text.
- 6
Free mobile apps
Official iOS and Android apps give free access to the assistant. The App Store listing covers iPhone and iPad.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 39 of 57
That is against the other AI assistants we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
DeepSeek is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
DeepSeek at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- DeepSeek, since 2023
- Category
- AI Assistants
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
- Store rating
- 3.9 on the App Store, 12,124 ratings
The report card
Best for free chat with nothing to upgrade to
DeepSeek is a free AI chat on the web, iPhone and Android, with a DeepThink mode for reasoning and a Search mode for the web, and no paid consumer plan. Past that it's thin: no image generation, no voice mode, no projects and no desktop chat app, since the Mac and Windows download is a preview agent app. Its iPhone app also sits at 3.9 on the App Store.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | It costs nothing. The web chat and the iPhone and Android apps are free, and the US App Store listing shows no in-app purchases. The only thing DeepSeek sells is API access for developers, billed per token. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole assistant is free, running DeepSeek's latest flagship model, with DeepThink and Search included. There's no paid consumer plan, so nothing is held back for one. |
| Features | C | Chat, a DeepThink mode for reasoning, a Search mode for the web and a model that reads images. That's the basics and little more: no image generation, no voice mode, no projects, and the desktop download is a preview agent app, not this. |
| Ease of use | C | 3.9 from about 12,100 App Store ratings, which is under our line for a B. It's a chat box with DeepThink and Search beside it, and the rating is what we go by here. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone, iPad and Android for the chat, plus an API billed per token. There's no desktop chat app, though: on Mac and Windows the download is the Harness preview, which wants Apple silicon or 64-bit Windows. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who DeepSeek is for
- Fits if you want a free chat assistant and have no plans to pay for one
- Works for developers who want the same models over an API, from $0.15 per 1M input tokens off-peak
Who it is not for
- Too light for more than chat, reasoning and web search, with no image generation, no voice mode and no projects
- Skip it if you want a desktop chat app: on Mac and Windows the download is Harness, a preview agent app
- Tight if your Mac is Intel or your Windows is 32-bit, as Harness needs Apple silicon on macOS 13 or later, or 64-bit Windows
- Not for you if a low store rating puts you off, since the iPhone app sits at 3.9 from about 12,100 ratings
- Watch out: API use is billed per token on its own, separate from the free app
Good to know
Good for
- Free chat with no subscription tier to outgrow
- Developers who want low per-token API prices
- People who want models whose weights are openly released
Worth knowing
- There is no paid consumer plan. API access is billed separately, from $0.15 per 1M input tokens off-peak for the deepseek-flash model.
- The desktop download is DeepSeek Harness, a preview agent app for Apple-silicon Macs on macOS 13 or later and 64-bit Windows, not the chat app.
- According to Wikipedia, DeepSeek's compliance with Chinese government censorship policies and its data collection have drawn regulatory scrutiny in several countries.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
DeepSeek is free to use.
The web chat and the iPhone and Android apps are free, and the US App Store listing shows no in-app purchases.
Free
$0
The chat assistant on the web, iOS and Android, running DeepSeek's latest flagship model.
The free plan
The web chat and the iOS and Android apps are free, and the US App Store listing shows no in-app purchases. API usage is billed separately per token.
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
Free AI chat assistant built on DeepSeek's openly released models. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, public API, AI features, chat assistant, AI search, AI agents.
Chat, a DeepThink mode for reasoning, a Search mode for the web and a model that reads images.
- DeepThink and Search modes
- Two modes sit beside the chat box on DeepSeek's site: DeepThink, for reasoning through a question, and Search, for answers that draw on the web.
- Visual understanding
- DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash, released in September 2026, adds native visual understanding alongside text.
- Free mobile apps
- Official iOS and Android apps give free access to the assistant. The App Store listing covers iPhone and iPad.
- DeepSeek Harness
- A desktop agent app in public preview for organizing files, analyzing data, coding and research. It is MIT-licensed and extended through plugins such as scheduled tasks.
- Openly released models
- Wikipedia describes DeepSeek's models as open-weight and, since January 2025, released under free and open-source licenses. The web and mobile apps are proprietary.
- API platform
- The same models are available to developers through an API billed per token, with off-peak rates set at half the peak rates.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
DeepSeek is made by DeepSeek, and has been around since 2023.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
39/57
Other AI assistants it is graded above
DeepSeek's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 39 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 43 of 57) and worst on features (C, above 0).
DeepSeek has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 58 AI assistants we grade, cut by the letter each got. DeepSeek’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 38 of 57
- AFree plan and trialAbove 43 of 57
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 57
- CEase of useAbove 3 of 57
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 23 of 57
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 45 AI assistants. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. DeepSeek is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
DeepSeek is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 39 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade.
What you could not
- An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
- A search engine with an AI model behind it.
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- An API that other software can build on.
What this rests on. DeepSeek’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
ChatGPT, Qwen Studio, Kimi, Z.ai and Gemini
The 5 tools DeepSeek is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.4GPA
ChatGPT
Free plan · from $8/mo
OpenAI's general-purpose AI assistant for chat, images and voice.
- Only ChatGPT lists a Linux app.
- DeepSeek is open source, according to its own site.
- DeepSeek also covers AI agents.
- 2.4GPA
Qwen Studio
Free plan
Alibaba Cloud's chat app for the Qwen family of AI models.
- Only DeepSeek lists macOS and Windows apps.
- DeepSeek is open source, according to its own site.
- DeepSeek also covers AI agents.
- 3.0GPA
Kimi
Free plan · from $15/mo
AI assistant and agent for research, slides, documents and code.
- Only Kimi lists a browser extension.
- DeepSeek is open source, according to its own site.
- DeepSeek also covers AI search.
- 2.6GPA
Z.ai
Free plan · from $12.60/mo
Chat assistant and agent built on Z.ai's GLM models.
- Only DeepSeek lists iOS, Android, macOS and Windows apps.
- DeepSeek is open source, according to its own site.
- Z.ai also covers app builder and presentations.
- 3.8GPA
Gemini
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Google's AI assistant, tied into Gmail, Docs and other Google apps.
- DeepSeek is open source, according to its own site.
- DeepSeek also covers AI agents.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is DeepSeek free?
Yes. DeepSeek is free to use.
How much does DeepSeek cost?
DeepSeek lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does DeepSeek work on?
DeepSeek is available on Web, iOS, Android, macOS and Windows.
How is DeepSeek rated?
DeepSeek's iPhone and iPad app averages 3.9 out of 5 from 12,124 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does DeepSeek have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. DeepSeek is listed for Web, iOS, Android, macOS and Windows.
Is DeepSeek open source?
Yes. DeepSeek is open source, according to its own site.
Does DeepSeek have an API?
Yes. DeepSeek offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes DeepSeek?
DeepSeek is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2023.
What are the alternatives to DeepSeek?
The closest alternatives to DeepSeek in our directory are ChatGPT, Qwen Studio, Kimi, Z.ai and Gemini.
How does DeepSeek compare with other AI assistants?
DeepSeek's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 39 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 8.
Is DeepSeek good value for money?
ToolGPA grades DeepSeek A for value for money. DeepSeek has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of DeepSeek?
DeepSeek is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from DeepSeek’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from DeepSeek's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-08-05.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by DeepSeek. Prices change, so check deepseek.com before you buy.
- apps.apple.com/us/app/deepseek-ai-assistant/id6737597349
- deepseek.com/en/
- deepseek.com/en/download/
- deepseek.com/en/harness/
- deepseek.com/en/news/deepseek-v4-1-flash/
- api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/pricing
- play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.deepseek.chat
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeepSeek
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeepSeek_(AI)
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- DeepSeek, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/deepseek
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "DeepSeek: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/deepseek
Know someone choosing between AI assistants?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/deepseek/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI assistants after DeepSeek, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Assistants Insider's GuideEvery one of the 58 AI assistants we grade, compared
- Gemini Insider's GuideGoogle's AI assistant, tied into Gmail, Docs and other Google apps3.8 GPA
- Chatbox Insider's GuideAI chat client for your own API keys or a hosted model plan3.4 GPA
- ChatGPT Insider's GuideOpenAI's general-purpose AI assistant for chat, images and voice3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what DeepSeek’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. DeepSeek is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by DeepSeek. Prices and plans change: check deepseek.com before you buy.