Comparisons › DeepSeek vs Gemini: the best budget AI API?

DeepSeek vs Gemini: the best budget AI API?

The two cheapest ways to get serious AI capability. Both have dramatically undercut the frontier incumbents — but in different ways.

Value verdict: on intelligence per $1, DeepSeek currently comes out ahead — 218,182 vs 136,667. Prices move often, so recheck the calculator regularly.

At a glance

Model compared

DeepSeek	Gemini	Gemini
Flagship model	DeepSeek V4 Pro	Gemini 3.8 Flash
Input / 1M	$0.66	$0.75
Output / 1M	$1.98	$3.75
Intelligence index	36	41
Tokens / $1	606.1k	333.3k
Intelligence / $1	218,182	136,667
Cheapest plan	—	Google AI Plus ($13.99/mo)

API pricing

DeepSeek V4 Pro is about $0.66 / $1.98 per 1M tokens (off-peak); Gemini 3.8 Flash is about $0.75 / $3.75. DeepSeek is cheaper on both axes, and both sit far below the frontier flagships.

Intelligence per dollar

Both score very high on intelligence per dollar in the calculator. DeepSeek V4 Pro tends to edge ahead on raw value, while Gemini 3.8 Flash brings Google's 1M-token context and multimodal handling.

The verdict

For bulk, cost-sensitive token workloads, DeepSeek usually wins. For long-context or image-inclusive work, Gemini Flash is the stronger all-rounder. Both are excellent budget choices — the calculator shows the exact gap at your budget.

Bottom line: DeepSeek wins for bulk, cost-sensitive token work; Gemini Flash wins for long-context and image-inclusive work. Both are excellent budget choices — pick by workload, not by brand.