DeepSeek vs ChatGPT: Which AI is Better?

It’s now the world of AI, and day by day, we are developing increasingly sophisticated AI models, especially ChatGPT and DeepSeek. Whether it be trends or controversial headlines, the two AI giants are everywhere, helping one way or another. But in this overload of AI gents, which one is the best?

Is ChatGPT still the tool to use? Or does DeepSeek boast better capabilities?

Let’s compare DeepSeek and ChatGPT to decide which one is more suitable for us, or even better.

DeepSeek vs ChatGPT: Which LLM is Better?

DeepSeek is the name of both a family of AI models and the chatbot that utilises these models. The company that developed this AI model also goes by the same name.  ChatGPT, on the other hand, is a chatbot developed by OpenAI that utilises models such as GPT-4 and O1-mini.

Both DeepSeek and ChatGPT are large language models (LLMs), trained on vast amounts of data to understand and generate human-like text. But they’re not exactly built the same.

While ChatGPT (by OpenAI) focuses on user-friendliness and versatility, DeepSeek leans more toward logic, technical depth and domain-specific knowledge.

GPT-4o, GPT-4o mini, and DeepSeek V3 are typical LLMs that are great for generating text responses. They’re relatively fast and often have more features. o1, o3-mini, and DeepSeek R1 are reasoning models. They take more time to respond but use chain-of-thought reasoning.

So, depending on what you’re looking for (casual help or technical depth), your “better” AI might change.

DeepSeek vs ChatGPT: Differences

DeepSeek and ChatGPT are both powerful AI models, but they excel in different areas.

DeepSeek is known for its strong performance in technical tasks, such as coding, math, and logical reasoning, while ChatGPT is favoured for general conversational tasks, creative writing, and nuanced understanding.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the core differences between the models.

Feature	DeepSeek	ChatGPT
Strength	Logical reasoning, coding, and math-heavy tasks	Conversational fluency, creativity, and productivity
Audience	Developers, data scientists, researchers	General users, content creators, business pros
Multimodal?	Not yet	Yes (text, images, voice, even video with GPT-4o)
Customisation	Moderate (developer-focused)	High (Custom GPTs, tools, plugins)
Cost	Completely free	Limited free plan $20/mo Plus plan $200/mo Pro plan

DeepSeek Overview

DeepSeek is relatively new in the AI world, but it has made a strong impression thanks to its solid foundation in coding, logic, and research-intensive tasks. It has also successfully proved itself as a Chinese-built alternative to ChatGPT.

In April 2025, Semrush reported that the DeepSeek website received more than 508 million visits per month. It currently comprises two flagship models: the DeepSeek-V3 and the DeepSeek-R1.

Key Features

• High accuracy in STEM tasks.
• Handles multi-step logic well.
• Designed with researchers and devs in mind.
• Great at answering domain-specific queries

DeepThink and Web Search

When asking DeepSeek a question, users can toggle two options on and off: “DeepThink (R1)” and “Search”.

DeepThink is a reasoning model that displays answers in a chain of reasoning for complex prompts. It also integrates with web search, which means it can pull fresh info directly from the internet. This ensures responses are as up-to-date as possible.

Mixture of Experts (MoE)

DeepSeek’s V3 model boasts a total of 671 billion parameters. Only 37 billion are activated in response to any given user prompt. That’s because DeepSeek uses an MoE structure. It allows the AI model to allocate specialised sub-models to different types of queries.

This basically means that different parts of the model will specialise in different tasks, which will improve efficiency and accuracy. This is said to significantly reduce computational costs.

There are also performance benefits. Different DeepSeek “experts” can process in parallel. Not all language models work this way, so it’s a unique edge.

Coding Assistance

If you’re a programmer, DeepSeek is your dream tool. It provides precise, functional code and is capable of debugging, refactoring, and explaining complex logic. It’s also open-sourced to some extent, which is a big win for developers.

DeepSeek often returns more efficient code snippets than ChatGPT in languages like Python, Rust, and Java.

Open-Source Models

Unlike ChatGPT, DeepSeek has open-sourced some of its models, including the DeepSeek-Coder. That means the underlying code is available for viewing, modification, and use for any purpose.

This is ideal for developers who want to fine-tune or self-host their own LLMs.

This transparency also fosters community trust, a quality that is still evolving in the OpenAI ecosystem.

DeepSeek Pricing

DeepSeek is currently free to use, with hints of a tiered pricing model being developed. It’s an excellent option for startups, students, or researchers with limited budgets.

There are fees associated with using the DeepSeek API, but they are low when compared to similar models. The free access is the primary factor that makes it an attractive alternative to ChatGPT, and it was a significant development when it was launched.

Parameter	DeepSeek Chat	DeepSeek Reasoner
CONTEXT LENGTH	64K	64K
MAX COT TOKENS	–	32K
MAX OUTPUT TOKENS	8K	8K
STANDARD PRICE (UTC 00:30–16:30)
• 1M Tokens Input (Cache Hit)	$0.07	$0.14
• 1M Tokens Input (Cache Miss)	$0.27	$0.55
• 1M Tokens Output	$1.10	$2.19
DISCOUNT PRICE (UTC 16:30–00:30)
• 1M Tokens Input (Cache Hit)	$0.035 (50% OFF)	$0.035 (75% OFF)
• 1M Tokens Input (Cache Miss)	$0.135 (50% OFF)	$0.135 (75% OFF)

ChatGPT Overview

ChatGPT has been the household name in AI since late 2022. It’s intuitive, highly versatile, and ideal for just about everything. If a person is writing essays or building no-code apps, ChatGPT is the ultimate saviour.

In addition to providing text-based responses, ChatGPT also offers features for generating images and videos.

It boasts at least 400 million users and is among the 10 most popular websites in the world.

Key Features

• Friendly, conversational responses
• Excellent for writing, summarising, and ideation
• Accessible for users with little to no tech background

Multiple Languages

ChatGPT supports dozens of languages and has built-in translation, making it a more globally accessible option.

Its best responses come in “high-resource” languages like English, where there is an abundance of training data.

Experts agree that its language skills are more robust than those of other AI chatbots.

If you’re working with clients or team members worldwide, ChatGPT keeps the conversation flowing smoothly.

Custom GPTs

One of ChatGPT’s coolest features is Custom GPTs, which allow users to build specialised versions of the chatbot with custom instructions, tools, and knowledge, all without any coding. Want a virtual therapist or a coding buddy? You can create that.

This level of personalisation is currently missing in DeepSeek’s setup.

Multimodal Capabilities

ChatGPT’s GPT-4o takes things to the next level with text, image, voice, and file input/output. You can show it a chart, ask it to summarise a PDF, or even hold a live conversation.

Output is multimodal too:

• DALL-E 3 is a text-to-image generator available within ChatGPT
• Sora is a powerful AI video generator available to paid ChatGPT users
• GPT Image is a new image generator that allows you to generate images via the OpenAI API
• There’s a voice chat feature within ChatGPT that lets users converse with it in real time

That’s a big leap ahead of DeepSeek in terms of human-like interactivity.

Privacy Features

ChatGPT allows users to manage their chat history, delete past interactions, and even disable training on their prompts. That means you’re more in control of your data compared to many other AI platforms.

ChatGPT Pricing

ChatGPT has a free tier (GPT-3.5) and a paid Pro plan (GPT-4) for $20/month. The paid version unlocks faster responses, better reasoning, and access to the most powerful tools.

• The free plan gives full access to the GPT-4o mini model, complete with real-time web search. Everything else is restricted.
• Plus costs $20 per month. For that, you get extended limits on uploads and image generation, limited access to video generation through Sora, and full use of Deep Research, plus standard and advanced voice modes.
• Pro costs $200 per month. This lifts many of the usage restrictions and provides access to “o1 pro mode,” which harnesses extra compute power for better answers.

DeepSeek Wins on Price and Access

If your priority is cost and deep logic functionality, DeepSeek might be a better fit. It’s cheaper for developers who need specific tools like coding support or logic-based answers, especially if you don’t care much about fancy interfaces.

DeepSeek shot to popularity for three main reasons:

• Its models are essentially as good as OpenAI’s.
• Its models are open for all, so anyone can download them.
• Its models are significantly cheaper to run and almost all are free of cost.

ChatGPT is Far More Polished and Feature-Filled

ChatGPT has been one of the most important apps of the past few years for fair enough reasons. There are many factors that make ChatGPT stand out, including its polished interface and the extensive features of the model.

• Image support. ChatGPT can understand images, charts, and other graphics that are uploaded. It can also generate images using GPT-4.

• Voice mode. You can talk to ChatGPT. Advanced voice mode even allows you to interrupt the AI or use your camera for live vision support.

• Custom instructions and memory. You can provide ChatGPT with specific instructions or ask it to remember details about you. It will then use these to tailor its responses.

• Integrations. ChatGPT is built into many apps you use every day, so you can access it from any of them.

• Projects and other organisational features. It’s not super robust, but ChatGPT helps you keep your AI chatbot conversations in order.

Use Cases: Who Does What Better?

Both the AI models have their own perks and specialities. Let’s take a look at who does what better.

DeepSeek is Your Go-To For:

• Technical support related to IT issues and coding
• Fixing or generating complex code
• Answering scientific or mathematical queries
• Research workflows

ChatGPT is Your Go-To For:

• Writing and editing content
• Learning new skills
• Everyday productivity
• Creative projects and casual conversations

Final Verdict

So, in DeepSeek vs ChatGPT, which AI wins over the other?

Well, it depends on your needs. If you’re a developer, researcher or logic-heavy user, DeepSeek is likely to deliver more targeted, precise help. But if you want a more human-like, creative and versatile assistant, then ChatGPT wins hands down.

Regardless, both tools offer immense value, so use them both as needed. It’s not that deep (pun intended).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions that people encounter when debating DeepSeek vs ChatGPT.

Is DeepSeek AI Better Than ChatGPT?

Ans: DeepSeek demonstrates some fascinating technological achievements. If you just want to try out a powerful AI chatbot for free, then it’s worth a look. ChatGPT, on the other hand, is stronger in creativity and general-purpose conversations that require a human touch.

For logic-heavy tasks, DeepSeek may outperform ChatGPT.

Is DeepSeek Better Than ChatGPT Environmentally?

Ans: While specific carbon footprint data for DeepSeek is limited, DeepSeek’s Mixture of Experts (MoE) architecture is inherently more efficient. That could mean less energy use compared to ChatGPT’s full-model activation, especially in free versions.

Is DeepSeek Completely Free?

Ans: DeepSeek is currently free to use. That said, as the platform matures and grows in popularity, it may eventually adopt a tiered pricing model similar to ChatGPT. However, it also currently offers a token-based pricing model for the DeepSeek API, which is comparatively very low.