DeepSeek vs ChatGPT: Open Source vs Proprietary AI
Compare DeepSeek R1 and V3 with OpenAI GPT models. Is open-source AI catching up? Pricing, performance, and self-hosting options compared.
Last updated: February 2026
Pricing Comparison
| Model | Provider | Input $/1M | Output $/1M | Context | Max Output |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeepSeek R1 | DeepSeek | $0.55 | $2.19 | 128K | 32K |
| GPT-5 | OpenAI | $1.25 | $10 | 400K | 128K |
| DeepSeek V3.2 | DeepSeek | $0.27 | $1.1 | 128K | 8K |
| GPT-4o | OpenAI | $2.5 | $10 | 128K | 16K |
Detailed Comparison
DeepSeek R1
DeepSeek
$0.55 / $2.19
per 1M tokens
Strengths
- + Open source (MIT license)
- + Self-hostable for zero API cost
- + Excellent reasoning capabilities
Best For
Self-hosting, reasoning tasks, privacy-sensitive applications
Context Window
128K
Max Output
32K
GPT-5
OpenAI
$1.25 / $10
per 1M tokens
Strengths
- + Larger context window (400K)
- + Multi-modal capabilities
- + Most mature ecosystem
Best For
Enterprise production, multi-modal tasks
Context Window
400K
Max Output
128K
DeepSeek V3.2
DeepSeek
$0.27 / $1.1
per 1M tokens
Strengths
- + Incredibly affordable API pricing
- + Open source and self-hostable
- + Competitive with GPT-4o
Best For
Budget-focused projects, high-volume processing
Context Window
128K
Max Output
8K
GPT-4o
OpenAI
$2.5 / $10
per 1M tokens
Strengths
- + Native multi-modal (text, vision, audio)
- + Real-time conversation support
- + Proven production reliability
Best For
Multi-modal applications, real-time interactions
Context Window
128K
Max Output
16K
Verdict
DeepSeek offers 2-9x cheaper API pricing and full open-source availability (self-host for $0). GPT models provide broader multi-modal capabilities and a more mature ecosystem. Choose DeepSeek for budget-conscious projects or when you need self-hosting; choose OpenAI for enterprise reliability and multi-modal features.
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FAQ
Which is cheaper, DeepSeek R1 or GPT-5?
DeepSeek R1 costs $0.55/$2.19 per million tokens (input/output), while GPT-5 costs $1.25/$10. DeepSeek R1 is cheaper for input.
Which has a larger context window?
DeepSeek R1 supports 128K context, while GPT-5 supports 400K. Larger context windows allow processing more text in a single request.
Which should I choose for my project?
DeepSeek offers 2-9x cheaper API pricing and full open-source availability (self-host for $0). GPT models provide broader multi-modal capabilities and a more mature ecosystem. Choose DeepSeek for budget-conscious projects or when you need self-hosting; choose OpenAI for enterprise reliability and multi-modal features.