DeepSeek API vs Gemini API: LLM API pricing compared
Updated 2026-11-09 · listed A to Z, not ranked
DeepSeek charges per million tokens and splits input into cache hits and cache misses. Prices depend on the time of day: off-peak rates are half the peak rates.
Google prices the Gemini API per million tokens on its Standard paid tier, with a free tier on some models. Two models list a price change on a set date, so check which date applies to you.
Listed A to Z, from api-docs.deepseek.com and ai.google.dev. Every figure below is quoted from those pages.
- Main price table
- Input, cache hit, Input, cache miss, Output
- Free option
- None in the published plan table
- Published prices
- Deepseek-flash and deepseek-v4-pro per 1M tokens at peak and off-peak hours, cache hits, 1M context and Search/Fetch API.
- Main price table
- Gemini 4 Argon, Gemini 3.8 Flash, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Gemini 2.5 Flash, Gemini Embedding
- Free option
- None in the published plan table
- Published prices
- Gemini 4 Argon, 3.8 Flash, 3.5 Flash-Lite, 3.1 Pro Preview and 2.5 models, scheduled price changes, batch and grounding.
How we checked: Prices quoted from each official pricing page: DeepSeek API checked Nov 9, 2026, Gemini API checked Nov 9, 2026. Taxes, usage overages and promotions can change what you pay; confirm with each provider before you buy.
How they compare
- Main price table. DeepSeek API lists 3 entries (Input, cache hit, Input, cache miss, Output); Gemini API lists 8 (Gemini 4 Argon, Gemini 3.8 Flash, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Gemini 2.5 Flash, Gemini Embedding).
- Free option. DeepSeek API: none in the published plan table. Gemini API: none in the published plan table.
- How prices are quoted. DeepSeek API: “Per 1M tokens”. Gemini API: “Standard paid tier (per 1M tokens)”.
DeepSeek API plans and prices
| Item | deepseek-flash peak | deepseek-flash off-peak | deepseek-v4-pro peak | deepseek-v4-pro off-peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input, cache hit | $0.006 | $0.003 | $0.044 | $0.022 |
| Input, cache miss | $0.30 | $0.15 | $1.32 | $0.66 |
| Output | $1.20 | $0.60 | $3.96 | $1.98 |
From api-docs.deepseek.com, checked Nov 9, 2026. Full breakdown: DeepSeek API pricing.
Gemini API plans and prices
| Model | Input | Output | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini 4 Argon | $2.00 through Nov 30, 2026; $4.00 from Dec 1, 2026 | $10.00; then $20.00 | No |
| Gemini 3.8 Flash | $0.75 through Dec 31, 2026; $1.50 from Jan 1, 2027 | $3.75; then $7.50 | Yes |
| Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite | $0.30 | $2.50 | Yes |
| Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite | $0.25 text/image/video ($0.50 audio) | $1.50 | |
| Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview | $2 (prompts up to 200K) / $4 (over 200K) | $12 / $18 | No |
| Gemini 2.5 Pro | $1.25 / $2.50 (over 200K) | $10 / $15 | |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash | $0.30 | $2.50 | |
| Gemini Embedding | $0.15 |
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Batch and Flex | 50% of Standard (Argon batch $1 / $5) |
| Priority (Gemini 4 Argon) | $3.60 input / $18 output |
| Grounding with Google Search | 5,000 prompts a month free (shared), then $14 per 1,000 |
From ai.google.dev, checked Nov 9, 2026. Full breakdown: Gemini API pricing.
FAQ
How much does DeepSeek API cost?
Deepseek-flash and deepseek-v4-pro per 1M tokens at peak and off-peak hours, cache hits, 1M context and Search/Fetch API. (checked Nov 9, 2026).
How much does Gemini API cost?
Gemini 4 Argon, 3.8 Flash, 3.5 Flash-Lite, 3.1 Pro Preview and 2.5 models, scheduled price changes, batch and grounding. (checked Nov 9, 2026).
Do DeepSeek API and Gemini API have a free option?
DeepSeek API: none in the published plan table. Gemini API: none in the published plan table.
Where do these prices come from?
Each vendor's own pricing page: api-docs.deepseek.com (checked Nov 9, 2026) and ai.google.dev (checked Nov 9, 2026). Prices change; confirm on the vendor's page before you buy.
Sources (official pages, read 2026-11-09)
- api-docs.deepseek.com
- api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/pricing
- ai.google.dev
- ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing
Spot something out of date? Email hello@youraitools.co and we’ll fix it.