DeepSeek review
Free AI chat with strong reasoning from China's DeepSeek
- DeepSeek
- Free
- iPhone & iPad, Android, Web
Does it deserve #8?
The verdict
DeepSeek offers capable reasoning and coding help completely free, and its models are released as open weights. DeepThink mode shows its reasoning step by step, and web search is built in. The app is basic, though, with no voice mode or image generation, and servers can be busy at peak times. Its privacy policy says data is stored in China, and several governments have restricted its use on official devices.
- DeepThink reasoning mode
- Web search in answers
- Open-weight models
- Free with no paid tier
Score breakdown
Overall = features 30% · design 20% · speed 20% · value 15% · privacy 15%. Why these weights?
What we like
- Strong reasoning and coding help at no cost
- Shows its reasoning process in DeepThink mode
- Open-weight models you can run yourself
What could be better
- Data is stored on servers in China
- Basic app with no voice mode or image creation
Students and developers who want strong reasoning help without paying
you handle sensitive work data or need voice and image features
Questions about DeepSeek
Is DeepSeek free?
Yes, the DeepSeek app and website are free to use, with no paid plan for the chat service. Developers pay separately to use DeepSeek models through its API.
Is DeepSeek safe to use?
It works well for general questions, but its privacy policy says data is stored on servers in China. Avoid sharing personal or confidential information, or run the open-weight models on your own hardware instead.
What are the best alternatives to DeepSeek?
The closest alternatives are Gemini, ChatGPT and Vibe by Mistral. See all of them ranked on our DeepSeek alternatives page.
Where does DeepSeek rank?
DeepSeek ranks #8 of 8 in our AI Assistants ranking, with an overall score of 7.4 out of 10.