DeepSeek vs OpenAI: is DeepSeek really that much cheaper?
DeepSeek V4 Pro and V4.1 Flash vs GPT-5.6 Sol: a straight comparison of API prices, intelligence per dollar, and when the cheaper option actually makes sense.
DeepSeek vs OpenAI in 2026
DeepSeek made its name on dramatically lower prices. In 2026 the gap has narrowed but not disappeared. Here is the honest comparison.
API prices side by side
| Model | Input / 1M | Output / 1M |
|---|---|---|
| DeepSeek V4 Pro | $0.66 | $1.98 |
| DeepSeek V4.1 Flash | $0.15 | $0.60 |
| GPT-5.6 Sol | $4.00 | $20.00 |
| GPT-5.6 Terra | $2.00 | $12.00 |
Prices per 1M tokens. DeepSeek figures are the official off-peak rate — peak hours (01:00–04:00 & 06:00–10:00 UTC, Mon–Fri) are 2x.
Tokens per dollar
On raw tokens per dollar, DeepSeek is in a different league — the intelligence score in our calculator reflects that gap directly. Whether it translates to your workload depends on the task. High-volume, reasoning-heavy work favors DeepSeek; some teams still find OpenAI’s output worth the premium for specific use cases.
When cheaper isn’t always better
Price per token is only half the story. Latency, reliability, tool-calling quality, and your team’s existing tooling all matter. The calculator is best used as a starting point: it tells you the ceiling on value, and you decide what actually works for you.
Punch your own budget into the AI intelligence calculator and see the token difference yourself.