API cost decision in 10 seconds

OpenAI GPT Latest vs DeepSeek V4 Flash (free)

Pick DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) for lower cost; pick OpenAI GPT Latest only if the larger context window matters more.

Pricing data updated:  Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output

Budget verdict

Pick DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) for lower cost; pick OpenAI GPT Latest only if the larger context window matters more.

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) is estimated at $0 vs $20 for OpenAI GPT Latest, saving $20 (100% lower).

Cost-first pickDeepSeek V4 Flash (free)
Context-first pickOpenAI GPT Latest
Sample savings$20100%
10x traffic gap$200

OpenAI GPT Latest has more context, but DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) saves $20 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $200. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.

Cost sensitivity

Workload Sensitivity

Same prices, different token mixes.

DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.

Workload shapeToken mixBetter pickOpenAI GPT LatestDeepSeek V4 Flash (free)
Input-heavy / RAG5M input + 500K outputDeepSeek V4 Flash (free)$40$0
Balanced workload1M input + 1M outputDeepSeek V4 Flash (free)$35$0
Output-heavy chatbot1M input + 5M outputDeepSeek V4 Flash (free)$155$0
Cheaper input DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) $5 vs $0 / 1M

DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) is free for input tokens while OpenAI GPT Latest costs $5 per 1M tokens.

Cheaper output DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) $30 vs $0 / 1M

DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) is free for output tokens while OpenAI GPT Latest costs $30 per 1M tokens.

Larger context OpenAI GPT Latest 1.05M vs 1.05M

OpenAI GPT Latest has 1.42K more context (1x larger).

Sample workload DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) $20 vs $0

DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) is free for the standard workload while the other model is estimated at $20.

Estimate your workload cost

Your Workload Cost

Prices are normalized to USD per 1M tokens.
OpenAI GPT Latest Calculating… Estimated API cost
DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) Calculating… Estimated API cost
Cheaper for this workload Calculating… Difference: calculating…

This estimate uses normalized public API pricing per 1M tokens. It is a planning aid, not a billing quote. Verify provider pricing, limits, and terms before production use.

Quick Decision

Verdict

DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) has the lower input price; DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) has the lower output price; OpenAI GPT Latest offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) is cheaper for the standard workload.

For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $20 for OpenAI GPT Latest and $0 for DeepSeek V4 Flash (free).

Best Fit

Choose OpenAI GPT Latest when you care most about larger context window.

Choose DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) when you care most about lower input-token price, and lower output-token price.

Decision Notes
  • On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) is estimated at $0 vs $20 for OpenAI GPT Latest, saving $20 (100% lower).
  • DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) is free for the standard workload while the other model is estimated at $20.
  • DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) is free for input tokens while OpenAI GPT Latest costs $5 per 1M tokens.
  • DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) is free for output tokens while OpenAI GPT Latest costs $30 per 1M tokens.
  • OpenAI GPT Latest has 1.42K more context (1x larger).
Head-to-Head Specs
FeatureOpenAI GPT Latest
(OpenAI)
DeepSeek V4 Flash (free)
(DeepSeek)
Input Price
prompt tokens per 1M
$5$0
Completion Price
per 1M tokens
$30$0
Sample Workload Cost
1M input + 500K output
$20$0
Context Window1.05M1.05M
Release Date

Use-Case Decision Matrix

Use caseBetter pickWhy
Budget-constrained productionDeepSeek V4 Flash (free)On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, DeepSeek V4 Flash (free) is estimated at $0 vs $20 for OpenAI GPT Latest, saving $20 (100% lower).
High-volume input processingDeepSeek V4 Flash (free)Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill.
Long responses and chatbotsDeepSeek V4 Flash (free)Lower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens.
RAG or long-document workOpenAI GPT LatestA larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files.

Related Alternatives

Same-provider lower-cost swaps
  • gpt-oss-120b (free) can replace OpenAI GPT Latest when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • gpt-oss-20b (free) can replace OpenAI GPT Latest when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • gpt-oss-20b can replace OpenAI GPT Latest when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.1.
  • gpt-oss-120b can replace OpenAI GPT Latest when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.13.
Larger context near this budget
Popular competitors
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Cheaper alternatives

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Larger context alternatives

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Provider catalogs

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OpenAI catalog

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DeepSeek catalog

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OpenAI GPT Latest

This model always redirects to the latest model in the OpenAI GPT family.

DeepSeek V4 Flash (free)

DeepSeek V4 Flash is an efficiency-optimized Mixture-of-Experts model from DeepSeek with 284B total parameters and 13B activated parameters, supporting a 1M-token context window. It is designed for fast inference and...