AI Coding & Vibe Coding Free plan
DeepSeek (API and Harness)
Pay-per-token model API (OpenAI- and Anthropic-compatible) plus DeepSeek Harness, an open-source agent harness that runs the dsh-superagent prototype.
Visit DeepSeek (API and Harness) → Last verified 2026-11-02
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Billing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeepSeek Harness | $0 | — | Open source (MIT), in public/developer preview; you pay only for the model you connect |
| dsh-superagent prototype | $0 | — | MIT-licensed research prototype, not an official DeepSeek product |
| API: deepseek-flash | $0.30 / $1.20 per 1M tokens | pay as you go from a topped-up balance | Peak price, input (cache miss) / output; cache-hit input $0.006; off-peak is half |
| API: deepseek-v4-pro | $1.32 / $3.96 per 1M tokens | pay as you go from a topped-up balance | Peak price, input (cache miss) / output; cache-hit input $0.044; off-peak is half |
| Search and Fetch APIs | $0.75 per 1,000 successful requests | — | Each; also billed for server-side search/fetch in Harness, Claude Code or Codex since Nov 1, 2026 (Beijing time) |
Free plan: Yes — The Harness software and the dsh-superagent prototype are free and open source. Model usage through the DeepSeek API is pay as you go; no free monthly API allowance is listed on the pricing page.. Source: official pricing page.
Key features
- 1M-token context on deepseek-flash and deepseek-v4-pro
- OpenAI- and Anthropic-format endpoints (works with Claude Code via base URL)
- Off-peak API rates are half of peak rates
- DeepSeek Harness: plugin-based agent app with Web UI (npx @deepseek-ai/dsh web)
- dsh-superagent: proactive GitHub-repo coding agent bundle for Harness
Coverage
Alternatives
- Claude — Anthropic’s AI assistant for writing, research, Claude Code, and Cowork, with Max and Ultra plans for heavy individual use.
- ChatGPT — OpenAI’s general-purpose AI assistant with reasoning models, image creation, deep research, Codex, and agents.
- Cursor — AI code editor with agents, cloud automations, and code review.
Sources
- https://api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/pricing
- https://api-docs.deepseek.com/guides/search
- https://github.com/deepseek-ai/deepseek-harness
- https://github.com/deepseek-ai/dsh-superagent-prototype
A short digest of verified new tools and price changes. No spam.