DeepSeek vs ChatGPT: What's Their Difference?

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, a Chinese app called DeepSeek is rapidly emerging as a strong challenger to ChatGPT.

Just one week after its release, DeepSeek has instantly become the most downloaded free app in the U.S. The DeepSeek craze is sweeping across the country, and the competitive landscape in AI is beginning to change subtly.

In this article, we will analyze the battle between DeepSeek and ChatGPT, exploring their strengths and weaknesses in terms of functionality, performance, cost, and practical applications, with a view to revealing which AI model has more potential.

What is DeepSeek?

DeepSeek is a cutting-edge AI tool from a Chinese startup dedicated to building open source Large Language Models (LLMs).

Following a Transformer-based architecture focused on efficiency and open accessibility, DeepSeek R1 Large Models are designed to provide users with professional, customized help, especially for domain-specific tasks that require precision and depth. Compared to more generalized AI models, it can be seamlessly integrated into other platforms and workflows, leveraging open source APIs to significantly boost productivity.

It's also worth noting that DeepSeek was developed at a fraction of the cost of similar AI models, around $6 million, making it not only innovative but also highly cost-effective.

Compared with OpenAI's ChatGPT and other models, it not only dramatically reduces the development cost, but also provides high-quality AI assistance capabilities, making it a good balance between price and scalability.

And its free-to-use feature quickly attracted a large number of users and made it on January 27, 2025 the most downloaded app on the App Store.

How is DeepSeek Different from ChatGPT?

ChatGPT and DeepSeek are both powerful AI systems, but there are significant differences in what they were designed to do and how they are used.

DeepSeek focuses on delivering targeted, high-quality responses and industry-specific solutions, while ChatGPT favors natural language processing capabilities to generate a wide range of generic text.

Core Architecture Technology:

● DeepSeek employs a Mixed Expertise (MoE) architecture that activates only a fraction of the 671 billion parameters in each query, improving efficiency and resource usage, and is particularly well suited for more deductive tasks such as coding and math problems.

● ChatGPT is based on a dense 1.8 trillion parameter traditional converter model, with strong dialog and versatility, suitable for creative writing, brainstorming and technical discussions. Its sophisticated interface provides chat history, voice mode and customization options to enhance the user interaction experience.

Performance Features:

● DeepSeek excels at technical tasks, especially in math and logical reasoning, with an accuracy rate of 90%, significantly better than many of its competitors. It specializes in coding and complex queries and can provide detailed step-by-step explanations, making it particularly well-suited to solving technical problems.

● ChatGPT excels in creative writing, storytelling, and general knowledge tasks, and is better suited to a wide range of topics because of its strong contextual understanding. It also supports multimodal input such as images and speech more effectively, making the user experience richer and more flexible.

Cost of Use:

● DeepSeek's open-source approach makes it 30 times less expensive than ChatGPT, with API pricing of just $0.14 per million tokens and $6 million in development costs, so it is seen as an affordable option, especially for community users who want to deeply understand and customize the underlying technology.

● ChatGPT is based on a freemium model, offering free access to basic functionality, but requiring a subscription for advanced features. Due to the large amount of computing resources required, its API costs are high, starting at $7.50 per million tokens, making it a relatively expensive option.

Comparison of DeepSeek & ChatGPT Features

Choosing Between DeepSeek and ChatGPT

The key to choosing between DeepSeek and ChatGPT is to define your specific needs and expectations.

In making your choice, you can consider the following：

● If your work focuses on technical tasks, such as programming and math problems, and you want to take advantage of the flexibility and affordability of open source, DeepSeek is an excellent choice. It is targeted, responsive, and well suited to meet your need for an accurate solution.

● ChatGPT, on the other hand, is more suitable for those who need versatility and creativity. Its powerful conversational capabilities and user-friendly interface support a variety of application scenarios, including creative writing, in-depth discussions and market analysis.

The two models are both a reflection of the rapid progress and innovation in the field of artificial intelligence.

Summarize:

There is no absolute right or wrong in this evolving technology environment.

In this ever-evolving technological environment, there is no absolute right or wrong, and the most important thing is to choose the tool that suits your usage scenario and personal preference.

Regardless of which AI model you ultimately favor, DeepSeek and ChatGPT represent important milestones in today's AI technology and open up a wide range of possibilities for future AI applications.

Over time, we will see both platforms further improve and expand their functionality and capabilities, driving the industry forward.