DeepSeek review

DeepSeek is the strongest option here for people who do not want to pay anything. The homepage offers web chat, a mobile app and a desktop app, with a DeepThink mode for step-by-step reasoning and a Search mode for web answers, and it lists no subscription tier for the chatbot. DeepSeek ships models often: its API news log shows DeepSeek V4 Pro reaching general availability in August 2026 and V4.1 Flash released in September, and the homepage says V4.1 Flash has been updated to V4.1-Flash-1017 with stronger project development abilities. Developers get the same models through an API that accepts OpenAI and Anthropic request formats. The limits are scope and documentation. DeepSeek does not publish the image, video, voice or project tools that ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude list, and its consumer help is thin. It is also run from China, which matters to some employers and to anyone with data residency rules.

Who it is for

Budget-minded users who want a capable reasoning chatbot without a subscription.

Price

No paid chat plan listed on deepseek.com; the API is billed separately.

US price check pending. See the vendor pricing page.

Key features

• DeepThink reasoning mode
• Search mode for web answers
• Web chat, a mobile app and a desktop app
• Model updated to V4.1-Flash-1017 in October 2026
• API in OpenAI and Anthropic compatible formats for developers

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: No subscription tier is listed for the chatbot
• Strength: Frequent model releases, logged in DeepSeek's API news
• Strength: Developers can use the same models through the API
• Weakness: Fewer extras than the leaders: no published image, video or projects features
• Weakness: DeepSeek publishes little consumer plan documentation
• Weakness: A China-based provider, which some users and employers restrict

Key facts

• Current model: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, updated to V4.1-Flash-1017
• Modes: DeepThink and Search
• Apps: Web, mobile app and desktop
• Paid chat plan: None listed on deepseek.com

Where it ranks

DeepSeek is No. 6 in our Best AI Chatbots verdict.