AI COMPARE

ChatGPT vs DeepSeek

Compare the differences, pricing, share and features of ChatGPT (OpenAI) and DeepSeek (DeepSeek) with data. We explain which one to pick by use case.

A. Bottom line: which should you pick?
For overall popularity and share, ChatGPT leads on share. The features differ for image generation (ChatGPT); for other uses the features are the same, so choose by price and ease of use.
ChatGPT
OpenAI
68.4%Worldwide share
$8Cheapest paid/mo
DeepSeek
DeepSeek
0.0%Worldwide share
$0Pricing

Feature differences (ChatGPT vs DeepSeek)

FeatureChatGPTDeepSeek
Japanese support○○
Image input○△
Image generation○×
Voice chat○×
File reading○○
Web search○○
Code generation○○
API○○
Mobile app○○

Pricing differences

ChatGPT pricing
Free$0
Go$8
Plus$20
Pro 100$100
Pro 200$200
Pro 500$500
ChatGPT pricing details →
DeepSeek pricing
Web / App$0
APIUsage-based
DeepSeek pricing details →

Source: Official pricing of each tool (reference values) / Captured: 2026-10-17 / Check the official site for the latest

Free plans compared: ChatGPT vs DeepSeek

When both can be tried for free, the differences in what the free plans include and their limits decide it. Listed as far as official pages state (— = not stated).

ItemChatGPTDeepSeek
ModelsGPT-6 LunaDeepSeek V4 Pro (Expert Mode)
Usage limitUnlimited everyday text chats (separate limits for uploads, images, etc.)No number published
Web search○—
Image generation△ (limited)—
File & image upload△ (limited)—
Voice chat△ (limited)—
Deep Research△ (limited)—
Training on your inputsOn by default; can be turned off in settingsUsed; opting out requires an email request

Source: Each vendor's official pricing and help pages / Captured: 2026-10-17

Verdict by purpose: which should you pick?

PurposeRecommendedBasis
WritingBoth support itSame feature support. For reference, ChatGPT has the larger global share (68.4% / 0.0%); share measures popularity, not performance.
Search & researchBoth support itSame feature support. For reference, ChatGPT has the larger global share (68.4% / 0.0%); share measures popularity, not performance.
CodingBoth support itSame feature support. For reference, ChatGPT has the larger global share (68.4% / 0.0%); share measures popularity, not performance.
Image generationChatGPTImage generation: ChatGPT ○ / DeepSeek ×
Using it for freeBoth have a free planFree plan: ChatGPT yes / DeepSeek yes
Keeping costs downDeepSeekCheapest paid plan: ChatGPT $8 / DeepSeek —

Verdicts are based on each AI's feature support (reference values compiled by our editors from official information) and published prices. We have not compared output quality itself.

Frequently asked questions

ChatGPT vs DeepSeek: which should you pick?
It depends on the use case. ChatGPT has the larger global share, but the features differ for image generation (ChatGPT). For other uses the features are the same, so choose by price and ease of use.
What are the pricing differences between ChatGPT and DeepSeek?
ChatGPT has a free plan, and paid plans start at $8/mo. DeepSeek has a free plan, and paid plans start at to be confirmed (reference values).
Which has the higher share, ChatGPT or DeepSeek?
For Oct 2026, worldwide market share is about 68.4% for ChatGPT and about 0.0% for DeepSeek (StatCounter).

Other comparisons

⚠ These rankings are reference values based on public market-share data, web-traffic estimates and editorial research, and do not represent a complete count of every user of each AI tool. Rankings change with the measurement method (web-visit share vs. market share, etc.). Always check each official site for the latest information.