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Comparison · prices checked every day
ChatGPT vs DeepSeek: which is worth paying for?
The current plans and our verdict on each tool, side by side. Prices come from each vendor's own pricing page and are checked every day.
The short answer
Choose ChatGPT if…
- you want advanced reasoning models with GPT-6 for $20/month
- you prefer fixed monthly pricing for predictable costs
Choose DeepSeek if…
- you need high concurrency limits for API usage
- you want usage-based pricing for variable workloads
Key differences
- ChatGPT offers fixed monthly plans starting at $8/month for Go and $20/month for Plus. plan list checked by handSource · owner-checked plan listPlan list checked by hand (chatgpt.com), checked Sep 28, 2026.Go to sources ↓
- DeepSeek uses usage-based pricing for its deepseek-flash and deepseek-v4-pro API models. pricing pageSource · vendor pagePricing page (api-docs.deepseek.com), checked Sep 24, 2026.Go to sources ↓
- ChatGPT provides a free tier with unlimited text chats using GPT-5.6 Luna. plan list checked by handSource · owner-checked plan listPlan list checked by hand (chatgpt.com), checked Sep 28, 2026.Go to sources ↓
- DeepSeek offers a free web and mobile chat app with no subscription required. plan list checked by handSource · owner-checked plan listPlan list checked by hand (chat.deepseek.com), checked Oct 1, 2026.Go to sources ↓
Plans and limits side by side
| Plans | ChatGPT | DeepSeek |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free $0Model Unlimited text chats with GPT-5.6 Luna, Uploads Limited messages with uploads | Free (chat app) $0Access Web and mobile chat app, no subscription |
| Paid plans | Go $8/moUsage More messages with tools, more uploadsPlus $20/moModels Advanced reasoning models with GPT-6Pro $100/moPrice From $100/month, Usage 5x more usage than Plus | deepseek-flash Usage-basedConcurrency Limit 2500deepseek-v4-pro Usage-basedConcurrency Limit 500 |
From each vendor's own pricing page · ChatGPT checked Sep 28, 2026 · DeepSeek checked Oct 1, 2026.
Our tests
Scores out of 10 on the same tasks of our public test suite ("Chat assistants", version 2), run hands-on in each app, scored by the same blind judges.
| Task | ChatGPT · free tier | DeepSeek · free tier |
|---|---|---|
| Decline a meeting politely | 9.9/10 | 9.8/10 |
| Summarize a text in 3 bullets | 9.9/10 | 8.8/10 |
| Work out an arrival time | 9.9/10 | 10.0/10 |
| Solve a small logic puzzle | 10.0/10 | 10.0/10 |
| Extract data as JSON | 10.0/10 | 10.0/10 |
| Write a small Python function | 10.0/10 | 10.0/10 |
| Explain a concept to a 12-year-old | 9.8/10 | 10.0/10 |
| Rewrite a blunt message | 9.3/10 | 9.7/10 |
| Translate into Spanish | 9.1/10 | 10.0/10 |
| Make a 5-day beginner plan | 9.6/10 | 9.7/10 |
| Write a 3-sentence product text | 9.4/10 | 9.7/10 |
| Admit what it cannot know | 9.4/10 | 9.7/10 |
| Average | 9.7/10 | 9.8/10 |
ChatGPT scored 9.9/10 on declining a meeting politely 9.9Our test · free tierChatGPT · Decline a meeting politely: 9.9/10, 4 of 4 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. DeepSeek scored 9.8/10 on the same task 9.8Our test · free tierDeepSeek · Decline a meeting politely: 9.8/10, 4 of 4 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. ChatGPT scored 9.9/10 on summarizing a text in three bullets 9.9Our test · free tierChatGPT · Summarize a text in 3 bullets: 9.9/10, 2 of 2 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. DeepSeek scored 8.8/10 on summarizing a text in three bullets 8.8Our test · free tierDeepSeek · Summarize a text in 3 bullets: 8.8/10, 2 of 2 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. ChatGPT scored 9.9/10 on working out an arrival time 9.9Our test · free tierChatGPT · Work out an arrival time: 9.9/10, 2 of 2 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. DeepSeek scored 10.0/10 on working out an arrival time 10.0Our test · free tierDeepSeek · Work out an arrival time: 10.0/10, 2 of 2 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. ChatGPT scored 10.0/10 on solving a small logic puzzle 10.0Our test · free tierChatGPT · Solve a small logic puzzle: 10.0/10, 3 of 3 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. DeepSeek scored 10.0/10 on solving a small logic puzzle 10.0Our test · free tierDeepSeek · Solve a small logic puzzle: 10.0/10, 3 of 3 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. ChatGPT scored 10.0/10 on extracting data as JSON 10.0Our test · free tierChatGPT · Extract data as JSON: 10.0/10, 3 of 3 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. DeepSeek scored 10.0/10 on extracting data as JSON 10.0Our test · free tierDeepSeek · Extract data as JSON: 10.0/10, 3 of 3 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. ChatGPT scored 10.0/10 on writing a small Python function 10.0Our test · free tierChatGPT · Write a small Python function: 10.0/10, 3 of 3 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. DeepSeek scored 10.0/10 on writing a small Python function 10.0Our test · free tierDeepSeek · Write a small Python function: 10.0/10, 3 of 3 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. ChatGPT scored 9.8/10 on explaining a concept to a 12-year-old 9.8Our test · free tierChatGPT · Explain a concept to a 12-year-old: 9.8/10, 2 of 2 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. DeepSeek scored 10.0/10 on explaining a concept to a 12-year-old 10.0Our test · free tierDeepSeek · Explain a concept to a 12-year-old: 10.0/10, 2 of 2 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. ChatGPT scored 9.3/10 on rewriting a blunt message 9.3Our test · free tierChatGPT · Rewrite a blunt message: 9.3/10, 3 of 3 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. DeepSeek scored 9.7/10 on rewriting a blunt message 9.7Our test · free tierDeepSeek · Rewrite a blunt message: 9.7/10, 3 of 3 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. ChatGPT scored 9.1/10 on translating into Spanish 9.1Our test · free tierChatGPT · Translate into Spanish: 9.1/10, 5 of 5 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. DeepSeek scored 10.0/10 on translating into Spanish 10.0Our test · free tierDeepSeek · Translate into Spanish: 10.0/10, 5 of 5 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. ChatGPT scored 9.6/10 on making a 5-day beginner plan 9.6Our test · free tierChatGPT · Make a 5-day beginner plan: 9.6/10, 1 of 1 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. DeepSeek scored 9.7/10 on making a 5-day beginner plan 9.7Our test · free tierDeepSeek · Make a 5-day beginner plan: 9.7/10, 1 of 1 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. ChatGPT scored 9.4/10 on writing a 3-sentence product text 9.4Our test · free tierChatGPT · Write a 3-sentence product text: 9.4/10, 4 of 4 checks passed.Read the answer ↓. DeepSeek scored 9.7/10 on writing a 3-sentence product text 9.7Our test · free tierDeepSeek · Write a 3-sentence product text: 9.7/10, 4 of 4 checks passed.Read the answer ↓.
What users say
ChatGPT
One Reddit user shared a positive experience asking ChatGPT to generate a family RedditUser report · positive · Redditr/ChatGPT, posted Jan 10, 2026See the report ↓. Another Reddit user expressed dissatisfaction with the quality, noting that ChatGPT needs to tell them to calm down in every prompt RedditUser report · negative · Redditr/ChatGPT, posted Feb 18, 2026See the report ↓. A user on Hacker News mentioned that ChatGPT was not worth looking at early in the year but noted that the amount of budget with GPT as a user is much better HNUser report · positive · Hacker NewsPosted Aug 18, 2026See the report ↓. One user canceled their ChatGPT Pro subscription because it was getting unbearable RedditUser report · negative · Redditr/ChatGPT, posted Feb 28, 2026See the report ↓.
Reports cited (4)
Asking ChatGPT to generate a family for us 🥹
… chatgpt wasn't even worth looking at early this year. Anthropic has the smarter models for sure, and seems to be default in corporate. However, the amount of budget you get with GPT as a user is much better, the harness feels more polished, and the models are faster. …
I actually hate ChatGPT now Why does ChatGPT needs to tell me to calm down or to take a pause in every prompt? Why all the gaslighting? I started with ChatGPT and absolutely loved it, and every month since I've used it, it's gone worse. I don't really understand why. …
I just canceled my $200 ChatGPT Pro subscription It’s getting unbearable…
DeepSeek
A user on Hacker News noted that with DeepSeek's API pricing, they can use it for two weeks without feeling like they have missed out HNUser report · positive · Hacker NewsPosted Sep 23, 2026See the report ↓. Another user mentioned that DeepSeek V4 Pro is roughly 11.5x cheaper than GPT-5.5 on input RedditUser report · positive · Redditr/OpenAI, posted May 24, 2026See the report ↓. A user on Hacker News stated that DeepSeek's pricing makes no other value prop great HNUser report · mixed · Hacker NewsPosted Sep 27, 2026See the report ↓. One user reported getting a large amount of tokens for a small charge with deepseek-v4-flash HNUser report · negative · Hacker NewsPosted Sep 10, 2026See the report ↓. A user on Reddit mentioned that DeepSeek R1 was legendary RedditUser report · positive · Redditr/DeepSeek, posted Jan 1, 2026See the report ↓.
Reports cited (5)
… I like that with DeepSeek's API pricing that I can not sure it for 2w, and not feel like I've missed out. 2w is a long time, but I only use it for personal stuff, and I often go 1-2w without using it due to other commitments.
… DeepSeek V4 Pro: Input: $0.435 per 1M tokens Output: $0.87 per 1M tokens OpenAI GPT-5.5: Input: $5.00 Output: $30.00 Claude Opus 4.7: Input: $5.00 Output: $25.00 Claude Sonnet 4.6: Input: $3.00 Output: $15.00 DeepSeek is roughly: 11.5x cheaper than GPT-5.5 on input 34.5x cheaper than GPT-5.5 on …
Do it again, DeepSeek So many great models already… DeepSeek R1 was legendary. Now we're waiting for the one that changes everything again.
Supposed to get $60 worth. For deepseek-v4-flash: a shitton of tokens for $5.
With DeepSeek's pricing, no other value prop has been great.
Questions people ask
Which tool is better for casual chat?
Both tools offer free plans. ChatGPT provides unlimited text chats with GPT-5.6 Luna. DeepSeek offers a free web and mobile chat app with no subscription required.
What are the paid plan options?
ChatGPT offers Go for $8/month and Plus for $20/month. DeepSeek offers usage-based pricing for its API models.
How do the prices compare?
ChatGPT has fixed monthly costs. DeepSeek charges based on token usage.
Sources
Drafted with AI from these pages, our tests and the linked user reports, and checked automatically against them before publishing: every price, score and report above is tied to the tool it is about.
ChatGPT
- Pricing pagechatgpt.com/pricing
- Limits pagehelp.openai.com/en/articles/6950777-what-is-chatgpt-plus
- Plan list checked by hand on Sep 28, 2026chatgpt.com/pricing ↩ text
DeepSeek
- Pricing page · checked Sep 24, 2026api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/pricing ↩ text
- Plan list checked by hand on Oct 1, 2026chat.deepseek.com ↩ text
Each tool's verdict and plans
ChatGPT
DEPENDS DEPENDS — worth it for some people
Free handles daily tasks well; pay for GPT-6 reasoning or higher volume.
Tested by us on Sep 28, 2026 · with user reports
- Cheapest paid
- $8/mo
- What's free
- $0
- Our test score
- 9.7/10
Our test (hands-on): free tier 9.7/10, as of Sep 28, 2026
Go
$8/mo
Plus
$20/mo
Pro
$100/mo
DeepSeek
DEPENDS DEPENDS — worth it for some people
DeepSeek's free chat app covers daily use; pay for API concurrency or vision features.
Tested by us on Sep 28, 2026 · with user reports
- Cheapest paid
- Usage-based
- What's free
- $0
- Our test score
- 9.8/10
Our test (hands-on): free tier 9.8/10, as of Sep 28, 2026
Free (chat app)
$0
deepseek-flash
Usage-based
deepseek-v4-pro
Usage-based
How we make money
The "Visit" buttons go through shouldipay.ai/go/ and may be affiliate links, but commissions never decide a verdict or a comparison: the evidence does. Affiliate disclosure