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DeepSeek API Pricing 2026: V3.2 at $0.27/M — The Cheapest Capable AI Model

February 2026 updated — DeepSeek V3.2 at $0.27 input / $1.10 output per 1M tokens, 80% cheaper than GPT-5. Includes code examples, OpenAI migration guide, and monthly cost breakdown.

DevTk.AI 2026-02-23 Updated 2026-02-24

DeepSeek has become one of the most talked-about AI API providers in 2026 — not because of hype, but because of raw value for money. DeepSeek V3.2 costs one-fifth of GPT-5 per token while delivering competitive performance across most benchmarks.

If you’re evaluating AI APIs for your project or looking to reduce costs on your current OpenAI or Anthropic setup, this guide covers everything you need to know about DeepSeek’s pricing, how to get started, and how to maximize savings.

DeepSeek 2026 Model Lineup & Pricing

DeepSeek currently offers two main models:

ModelTypeInput PriceOutput PriceContextBest For
DeepSeek V3.2General$0.27/M$1.10/M128KChat, code, general tasks
DeepSeek R1Reasoning$0.55/M$2.19/M128KMath, logic, complex analysis

All prices in USD per 1 million tokens. Last updated: February 2026.

How DeepSeek Compares to Other Models

Here’s how DeepSeek V3.2 stacks up against the major competitors:

ModelInputOutputvs. DeepSeek V3.2
DeepSeek V3.2$0.27$1.10Baseline
GPT-5 Mini$0.25$2.00~0.9x input / 1.8x output
Llama 4 Maverick$0.20$0.600.7x (cheaper)
Mistral Small 3.1$0.10$0.300.4x (cheaper, less capable)
GPT-4o$2.50$10.009.3x / 9.1x
GPT-5$1.25$10.004.6x / 9.1x
Claude Sonnet 4.5$3.00$15.0011x / 13.6x
Gemini 2.5 Pro$1.25$10.004.6x / 9.1x
Claude Opus 4.5$5.00$25.0018.5x / 22.7x

The takeaway: DeepSeek V3.2 is the cheapest closed-source model with strong general capabilities, only beaten by open-weight models like Llama 4 running on third-party hosts.

Monthly Cost Estimates

Scenario 1: Solo Developer

100K input + 50K output tokens per day

ModelMonthly Cost
DeepSeek V3.2$2.46
GPT-4o$11.25
GPT-5$18.75
Claude Sonnet 4.5$31.50

Scenario 2: Startup Team

1M input + 500K output tokens per day

ModelMonthly Cost
DeepSeek V3.2$24.60
GPT-4o$112.50
GPT-5$187.50
Claude Sonnet 4.5$315.00

Scenario 3: Production Scale

10M input + 5M output tokens per day

ModelMonthly Cost
DeepSeek V3.2$246
GPT-4o$1,125
GPT-5$1,875
Claude Sonnet 4.5$3,150

Want exact numbers for your usage? Try our AI Model Pricing Calculator.

Getting Started with DeepSeek API

Step 1: Get Your API Key

  1. Visit platform.deepseek.com
  2. Create an account and complete verification
  3. Generate an API key in the dashboard

Step 2: Make Your First Request

DeepSeek uses the OpenAI-compatible API format. If you already use the OpenAI SDK, switching takes two lines of code.

Python:

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key="your-deepseek-api-key",
    base_url="https://api.deepseek.com"
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="deepseek-chat",  # V3.2
    messages=[
        {"role": "system", "content": "You are a helpful coding assistant."},
        {"role": "user", "content": "Write a quicksort function in Python"}
    ],
    temperature=0.7,
    max_tokens=2000
)

print(response.choices[0].message.content)

JavaScript / TypeScript:

import OpenAI from 'openai';

const client = new OpenAI({
  apiKey: 'your-deepseek-api-key',
  baseURL: 'https://api.deepseek.com',
});

const response = await client.chat.completions.create({
  model: 'deepseek-chat',
  messages: [
    { role: 'system', content: 'You are a helpful coding assistant.' },
    { role: 'user', content: 'Write a React TodoList component' },
  ],
});

console.log(response.choices[0].message.content);

Using the R1 reasoning model:

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="deepseek-reasoner",  # R1
    messages=[
        {"role": "user", "content": "Analyze the time complexity of this algorithm..."}
    ]
)

Step 3: Migrate from OpenAI

If you’re currently on OpenAI, migration is straightforward:

  1. Change base_url to https://api.deepseek.com
  2. Replace api_key with your DeepSeek key
  3. Set model to deepseek-chat (general) or deepseek-reasoner (reasoning)
  4. Everything else stays the same — message format, parameters, streaming all work identically

DeepSeek Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • Best price-to-performance ratio among closed-source models
  • OpenAI-compatible API — zero migration friction
  • 128K context window — handles long documents and large codebases
  • Strong coding ability — competitive with GPT-4o on code benchmarks
  • R1 reasoning model — rivals o3/o4 on math and logic tasks

Limitations

  • No multimodal support — text-only (no image/audio input)
  • Latency spikes during peak hours (much improved in 2026, but still occasional)
  • Data residency concerns — some enterprises need to evaluate compliance requirements
  • Smaller ecosystem — fewer third-party integrations compared to OpenAI

Cost-Saving Strategies

1. Use Tiered Model Routing

Route simple tasks to V3.2 ($0.27) and complex reasoning to R1 ($0.55). Don’t use the same model for everything.

2. Compress Your Prompts

Trim system prompts and context. Every 1,000 tokens saved from your system prompt saves ~$8/month at 1M daily requests.

3. Count Tokens Before Sending

Use our Token Counter to estimate token counts before making API calls. Avoid surprise bills from oversized inputs.

4. Batch Non-Urgent Requests

If your use case allows it, batch requests during off-peak hours for better latency and potentially lower costs if DeepSeek introduces batch pricing.

When to Choose DeepSeek vs. Others

Use CaseBest ChoiceWhy
Cost-sensitive production appsDeepSeek V3.2Lowest price with solid quality
Maximum reasoning qualityClaude Opus 4.5 / o3Still ahead on hardest benchmarks
Vision / multimodalGPT-5 / Gemini 2.5DeepSeek is text-only
Long context (>128K)Gemini 2.5 Pro (1M)DeepSeek caps at 128K
Open-source / self-hostedLlama 4 MaverickFull control, no API costs
Enterprise compliance (US/EU)OpenAI / AnthropicEstablished data governance

Bottom Line

DeepSeek’s 2026 positioning is clear: top-tier performance at a fraction of the cost. For cost-conscious developers and startups, it should be your first evaluation.

If your use case doesn’t require GPT-5’s multimodal capabilities or Claude’s maximum output quality, DeepSeek V3.2 is very likely your optimal choice.

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