Our verdict · 7.4/10 Good
Impressive capability for the price and a useful open model to self-host. Most Western businesses should avoid sending sensitive data to the hosted app and should review data-residency rules first.
Key takeaways
- Best for: Developers wanting cheap API inference.
- Strongest area: Value for money (9.5/10). Weakest: Security & privacy (5.8/10).
- Price: Free chat app; API billed per million tokens — free plan available.
- Watch out for: Data stored in China for the hosted service.
What is DeepSeek?
DeepSeek offers a free chat app on web and mobile and a pay-as-you-go API with some of the lowest token prices available. Its models are released with open weights, so businesses can also self-host them. The hosted service is operated from China, which matters for data governance.
DeepSeek is made by DeepSeek and is reviewed here as a AI assistant. It is priced on a usage-based basis, and our editorial score is 7.4 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.
Who it’s for — and who should skip it
Choose DeepSeek if
- Developers wanting cheap API inference
- Teams self-hosting open-weight models
- Non-sensitive experimentation
Not for you if
- Regulated or confidential data on the hosted app
- Businesses needing admin controls and SLAs
Key features
Web and mobile chat with reasoning mode.
OpenAI-compatible API with low per-token pricing.
Models can be run on your own infrastructure.
Optional web search in the chat app.
- API
- OpenAI-compatible SDKs
Pros & cons
What we like
- Free chat assistant
- Very low API prices
- Open weights for self-hosting
- Strong reasoning and coding performance
Watch out for
- Data stored in China for the hosted service
- No business admin plan
- Several governments restrict its use
Pricing & true cost
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chat app | Free | — |
| API | Custom quote | Per-token usage |
Pricing watch-out: API pricing changes often and has off-peak discounts; check DeepSeek's API docs. Not re-verified on a pricing page for this review.
True cost at 5, 10 and 25 seats
Cheapest paid plan that fits each team size, from indicative list prices researched November 5, 2026 (not yet re-checked). Excludes tax, add-ons, onboarding fees and promotional discounts.
Pricing watch-outs
- Quote-only tier. API has no public price. Ask for a written quote that includes onboarding and support fees.
Contract questions to ask before you sign
- Does the plan auto-renew, and how many days’ notice do you need to cancel?
- Is the advertised price for annual billing? What is the month-to-month price?
- Is the first-year price a promotion? What will renewal cost, and is it capped?
- Is there a minimum number of seats, or a charge for inactive users?
- Are onboarding, implementation or premium-support fees extra?
- How do we export all our data if we leave, and in what format?
General questions for any vendor — not findings about this product. Build a full checklist with our requirements builder.
Indicative USD pricing from our research as of November 5, 2026; not yet re-checked against a live vendor pricing page. Vendors change prices and promotions often — always confirm on their website. Model your own numbers with our SaaS TCO calculator.
Score breakdown
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features & fit | 25% | 8.0 | 2.00 | |
| Ease of use | 15% | 8.4 | 1.30 | |
| Value for money | 15% | 9.5 | 1.40 | |
| Support & reliability | 10% | 6.0 | 0.60 | |
| Security & privacy | 20% | 5.8 | 1.20 | |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 15% | 6.6 | 1.00 | |
| Overall | 100% | Weighted for AI tools products | 7.4 | |
Security & compliance facts
| Item | Status | Question to ask DeepSeek |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authenticationStops most account takeovers from reused or phished passwords. | Not verified by us | Can admins enforce MFA for every user, on every plan? |
| Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Lets you remove a leaver’s access everywhere from one place. | Not verified by us | Is SSO included on the plan we are buying, or only on enterprise tiers? |
| SOC 2 Type II reportIndependent audit of the vendor’s security controls — often required by larger customers. | Not verified by us | Can we see your current SOC 2 Type II report (under NDA if needed)? |
| ISO/IEC 27001 certificationInternational standard for running an information-security programme. | Not verified by us | Which legal entity and services does your ISO 27001 certificate cover? |
| GDPR data processing agreementNeeded if you handle personal data of people in the EU/UK. | Not verified by us | Do you offer a signed DPA and list your sub-processors? |
| HIPAA business associate agreementRequired before US healthcare businesses store protected health information. | Not verified by us | Will you sign a BAA, and on which plans? |
We have not yet verified these items for DeepSeek against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check DeepSeek’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.
Before you buy any AI assistant
Check DeepSeek against the same list we use for every AI assistant — and confirm each point on the plan you intend to buy, not the top tier.
- Data is excluded from training on your plan
- Admin console and usage controls
- File and document analysis
- Integration with your office suite
- Predictable per-seat pricing
See every ranked option in AI Assistants.
DeepSeek alternatives
Pick an alternative by what matters to you
- Easier to use
ChatGPTEase-of-use score 9.3 vs 8.4 - Better integrations
Microsoft 365 CopilotIntegrations score 9.0 vs 6.6 - Stronger on securityAQAmazon QuickSecurity & privacy score 9.0 vs 5.8
- Higher overall scoreChatGPTOverall 8.6 vs 7.4
Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as DeepSeek. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.
Editor’s picks
A fast European AI assistant from Mistral AI.
The most widely used AI assistant, with a broad set of tools and integrations.
A thoughtful AI assistant known for long documents, nuanced writing and coding.
Review history
- Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).
DeepSeek FAQ
Is DeepSeek safe for business data?
The hosted app stores data in China. Many businesses only use DeepSeek models self-hosted or via third-party clouds, and avoid putting confidential data into the hosted app.
Is DeepSeek free?
The chat app is free; the API is billed per token.
Does DeepSeek have a free plan?
Yes. DeepSeek offers a free plan. Paid plans start at Free chat app; API billed per million tokens (indicative — check the vendor for current pricing).
Who is DeepSeek best for?
DeepSeek is best for: developers wanting cheap API inference; teams self-hosting open-weight models; non-sensitive experimentation.
How is the DeepSeek score calculated?
The 7.4/10 overall score is a weighted average of six sub-scores — features & fit, ease of use, value, support & reliability, security & privacy, and integrations — using the published weights for AI products. Affiliate relationships have no input. See our methodology page for the full rubric.
What are the best alternatives to DeepSeek?
Popular alternatives include Mistral Le Chat, ChatGPT, Claude. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.