OpenAI vs DeepSeek
Complete comparison of OpenAI (14 models) and DeepSeek (6 models) for AI coding projects. Updated April 2026.
Quick Verdict
OpenAI offers 14 models ranging from $0.150 to $30.00 per million input tokens. Cheapest: GPT-4o mini.
DeepSeek offers 6 models ranging from $0.150 to $0.550 per million input tokens. Cheapest: DeepSeek Jiuge.
Winner on price: OpenAI ($0.150/M input). Winner on average: DeepSeek (avg $0.302/M).
Winner Per Scenario
Which provider has the cheapest model for each coding scenario?
| Scenario | OpenAI Best | DeepSeek Best | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Script (1K lines) | GPT-4o mini — $0.02 | DeepSeek Jiuge — $0.02 | DeepSeek wins by <$0.01 |
| Medium Feature (10K lines) | GPT-4o mini — $0.18 | DeepSeek Jiuge — $0.17 | DeepSeek wins by $0.01 |
| Large Project (50K lines) | GPT-4o mini — $0.92 | DeepSeek Jiuge — $0.86 | DeepSeek wins by $0.06 |
| Code Review (5K lines) | GPT-4o mini — $0.05 | DeepSeek Jiuge — $0.04 | DeepSeek wins by <$0.01 |
Head-to-Head Model Comparisons
Each OpenAI model matched against its closest-priced DeepSeek competitor. Medium project cost (500K input + 200K output).
| OpenAI | DeepSeek | Cost | Cost | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-4o | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | $3.06 | $0.63 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) saves $2.43 (79%) |
| GPT-4o mini | DeepSeek Jiuge | $0.18 | $0.17 | DeepSeek Jiuge saves $0.01 (6%) |
| GPT-4 Turbo | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | $9.50 | $0.63 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) saves $8.87 (93%) |
| GPT-4 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | $22.50 | $0.63 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) saves $21.87 (97%) |
| GPT-3.5 Turbo | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | $0.48 | $0.63 | GPT-3.5 Turbo saves $0.16 (25%) |
| OpenAI o1 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | $17.25 | $0.63 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) saves $16.62 (96%) |
| OpenAI o1-mini | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | $1.27 | $0.63 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) saves $0.63 (50%) |
| OpenAI o3 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | $11.50 | $0.63 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) saves $10.87 (95%) |
| OpenAI o3-mini | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | $1.27 | $0.63 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) saves $0.63 (50%) |
| OpenAI o4-mini | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | $1.27 | $0.63 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) saves $0.63 (50%) |
| OpenAI o1 Pro | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | $23.00 | $0.63 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) saves $22.37 (97%) |
| OpenAI o3 Pro | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | $23.00 | $0.63 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) saves $22.37 (97%) |
| GPT-4.1 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | $2.30 | $0.63 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) saves $1.67 (73%) |
| GPT-4.1 mini | DeepSeek V3.2 | $0.46 | $0.34 | DeepSeek V3.2 saves $0.12 (25%) |
Full Ranking — All 20 Models
Every model from both providers, ranked by medium project cost.
| # | Model | Provider | Input ($/M) | Medium Project |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DeepSeek Jiuge | DeepSeek | $0.150 | $0.17 |
| 2 | GPT-4o mini | OpenAI | $0.150 | $0.18 |
| 3 | DeepSeek Chat V3 | DeepSeek | $0.270 | $0.31 |
| 4 | DeepSeek Coder V2 | DeepSeek | $0.270 | $0.31 |
| 5 | DeepSeek Coder V3 | DeepSeek | $0.270 | $0.31 |
| 6 | DeepSeek V3.2 | DeepSeek | $0.300 | $0.34 |
| 7 | GPT-4.1 mini | OpenAI | $0.400 | $0.46 |
| 8 | GPT-3.5 Turbo | OpenAI | $0.500 | $0.48 |
| 9 | DeepSeek Reasoner (R1) | DeepSeek | $0.550 | $0.63 |
| 10 | OpenAI o1-mini | OpenAI | $1.10 | $1.27 |
| 11 | OpenAI o3-mini | OpenAI | $1.10 | $1.27 |
| 12 | OpenAI o4-mini | OpenAI | $1.10 | $1.27 |
| 13 | GPT-4.1 | OpenAI | $2.00 | $2.30 |
| 14 | GPT-4o | OpenAI | $2.50 | $3.06 |
| 15 | GPT-4 Turbo | OpenAI | $10.00 | $9.50 |
| 16 | OpenAI o3 | OpenAI | $10.00 | $11.50 |
| 17 | OpenAI o1 | OpenAI | $15.00 | $17.25 |
| 18 | GPT-4 | OpenAI | $30.00 | $22.50 |
| 19 | OpenAI o1 Pro | OpenAI | $20.00 | $23.00 |
| 20 | OpenAI o3 Pro | OpenAI | $20.00 | $23.00 |
Explore Individual Comparisons
Detailed side-by-side comparisons between specific models.