Quick Answer
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DeepSeek API uses custom pricing as of September 2026 with 4 plans available. Contact DeepSeek API directly for a personalized quote. Pricing depends on your chosen tier, contract length, and negotiated discounts.

Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.

  • Free tier: No free tier available

DeepSeek API offers 4 pricing tiers: Free Trial Credits, DeepSeek V4-Flash (Pay-as-you-go), DeepSeek V4-Pro (Pay-as-you-go), DeepSeek V4-Flash Vision (Pay-as-you-go). The DeepSeek V4-Flash (Pay-as-you-go) plan is most code generation tasks at low per-token cost.

Last verified: | Sources: 2 pricing pages and reviews
Free Trial plan type

Yes, DeepSeek API offers a free trial plan as of September 2026. The free tier includes 4 features with limits on usage. Pricing verified from 2 sources by CostBench.

Free Trial

DeepSeek API's free offering is a time-limited trial to test the full product.

What's Included in the Free Plan

  • Granted balance on signup (check platform for current amount)
  • No credit card required
  • Access to all models
  • Credits apply automatically to usage
Start DeepSeek API Free Trial

You'll Need to Upgrade When...

  • You exceed the user limit
  • You need features like advanced automation
  • You require premium support or SLA guarantees
  • You need to remove branding or watermarks
  • You need advanced integrations or API access

Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan

  • ! Credits expire after a limited period
  • ! No ongoing free tier after trial credits are exhausted

Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?

Free Plan is Enough If...

  • You're an individual or very small team
  • You need only basic features
  • You don't mind usage limits
  • Branding on output is acceptable
  • Community support is sufficient

Frequently Asked Questions

01 Is DeepSeek API free?

Yes, DeepSeek API offers a free trial plan with 4 core features included. However, there are limits on users and features that may require upgrading.

02 What's included in DeepSeek API's free plan?

DeepSeek API's free plan includes: Granted balance on signup (check platform for current amount), No credit card required, Access to all models, Credits apply automatically to usage. Key limits include basic usage caps.

03 What's NOT included in DeepSeek API's free plan?

The free plan excludes: advanced features, premium support, and higher limits. You'll also have DeepSeek API branding and limited support options.

04 When should I upgrade from DeepSeek API's free plan?

Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like advanced automation, require premium support, or want to remove branding. Paid plans use custom pricing — contact the vendor for a quote.

05 Is DeepSeek API's free plan really free forever?

DeepSeek API's free offering is actually a time-limited trial, not a forever-free plan. After the trial period, you'll need to subscribe to a paid plan to continue using the service.

Start DeepSeek API Free Trial
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