I Tested DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT in the Ultimate AI Showdown

When I first heard about DeepSeek in January 2025, I thought it might be just another name on the long list of ChatGPT alternatives. I mean, I’d already seen many AI chatbots like Claude, Perplexity, and plenty of others try to dethrone ChatGPT.

But something about a DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT matchup felt…. different. Mainly because DeepSeek is completely free and fully open-source. That definitely made me pause — and I wasn’t alone.

Since its launch, over 900 million people have visited the site, and more than 301 million use it every month (myself included), according to SimilarWeb data. From GitHub stars to AI Reddit threads and Twitter/X buzz, DeepSeek has been everywhere lately.

Over the past few months, I’ve been using ChatGPT and DeepSeek side by side. And if you know me, you already know I had to run a proper head-to-head test.

In this article, I’ll break down exactly how DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT played out across real-world tasks — writing, coding, summarizing, researching — and which one I’d actually recommend depending on your workflow. And yes, I’ve backed it up with G2 user data too.

TL;DR: DeepSeek impressed as a free, open-source alternative with strong logic, multilingual, and data analysis skills, but ChatGPT’s polish, creativity, integrations, and real-time accuracy still give it the overall win.

Quick note: “DeepSeek” is the name of a whole family of open-source AI models, the chatbot interface that uses them, and the company behind it all. When I mention “DeepSeek” here,  I am talking about the AI chatbot.

Note: Both OpenAI and DeepSeek frequently roll out new updates to these AI chatbots. The details below reflect the most current capabilities as of April 2025 but may change over time.

DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT: What’s different and what’s not?

Before we get down to brass tacks with some real-world testing, it's worth taking a moment to unpack what sets these chatbots apart — and, surprisingly, where they have quite a bit in common.

DeepSeek and ChatGPT: The differences

From my experience, ChatGPT immediately feels like the more polished, feature-rich product. The interface is smoother, the ecosystem is more mature, and it just works out of the box.

DeepSeek, on the other hand, is powerful under the hood, especially with its open-source models. But it still feels like it’s early in its product journey. The user experience is basic, and some advanced features are still catching up. Let me break down the specifics:

• AI models and processing power: DeepSeek is built on its own open-source models, including DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek R1, its reasoning model. ChatGPT, on the other hand, uses the generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) models. This includes GPT 4o mini for unlimited chats in the free plan and limited chats with GPT-4o, GPT 4.5, o1, o3 mini, o3-mini-high, and GPT-4 in the paid plan.
• Context Window:  The context window defines how much an AI can retain and reference in a single conversation. ChatGPT supports a 128,000-token context window, allowing for extremely long conversations or multi-document tasks. DeepSeek offers a substantial 64,000-token window, generally sufficient for most uses, though smaller than ChatGPT's top capacity.
• File handling: DeepSeek supports text, images, audio, video, and documents in various formats like DOCX, PPTX, XLSX, CSV, and Google files. It can handle up to 1,500 pages per file, 10 uploads at once, and 100MB per file. ChatGPT supports formats like DOCX, PDF, TXT, PPTX, CSV, and XLSX, 512 MB per file, with free users having three file uploads a day.
  
• Knowledge cutoff: ChatGPT’s GPT-4 is trained on data up to December 2023. DeepSeek does not officially disclose its knowledge cutoff, making it less transparent in that area.
  
• Voice chat: ChatGPT wins here for hands-free interaction with its built-in voice chat. It’s really cool to talk directly to it (downplaying here — I love it!) DeepSeek doesn't have that feature right now.
• Multimodal capabilities: ChatGPT is more of a multi-sense AI. It can understand images (like charts), chat with voice, and even get a sense of video. DeepSeek is really strong with text and has become quite good at understanding images and videos. However, unlike ChatGPT, voice interaction and image generation aren't currently standard features in DeepSeek's main chat interface.
• Temporary chats and sharing: ChatGPT is way ahead here. It has temporary sessions, chat history, and conversation sharing via links. DeepSeek? None of that is built in. 
  
• Custom AI assistants: ChatGPT makes it easy to build your own custom AI helpers with memory and tools. DeepSeek doesn't offer a simple way to do this; you'd need to be a developer to potentially build something yourself due to its open-source nature. ChatGPT is clearly more accessible here.
• Integrations: Again, ChatGPT has a notable edge here. While both can connect to many apps through services like Zapier and Albato, ChatGPT also offers direct, built-in integration with Google Drive and allows one to connect with other apps. This makes it incredibly easy to upload and work with your documents right within the chat. DeepSeek currently lacks this direct cloud storage link.
• Content limitations: Now, when it comes to talking about certain things, like politics or anything a bit touchy, you might find DeepSeek clams up a bit more than ChatGPT. It might just refuse to answer or give you a really vague response. ChatGPT definitely has its own filters, but it generally seems more willing to chat about a wider range of subjects.
• Pricing: This is a big difference. DeepSeek is completely free to use. You get all the core goodies like web searches, access to advanced thinking models, and file uploads without hitting any paywalls. ChatGPT does offer a free option, but if you want the more powerful models and those extra features like custom GPTs and higher limits on chats, you'll need to shell out for ChatGPT Plus. So, if cost is a major factor, DeepSeek definitely comes out on top.

DeepSeek and ChatGPT: the similarities

Irrespective of their differences, DeepSeek and ChatGPT actually have a lot in common. Here’s what they both do well:

• Text generation: Whether you need to write a compelling story, summarize a lengthy article, or just brainstorm some fresh ideas, both DeepSeek and ChatGPT are highly capable of generating readable and relevant content with relatively little input from you.
• Coding: Both of these platforms can serve as very helpful coding assistants, whether you're trying to debug existing code, write new snippets, or simply understand complex programming concepts.
• Web search: Need to pull information from the internet? Both have integrated web browsing capabilities to help you find what you're looking for. 
• File analysis: Got a PDF, a Word document, or some other file you need to extract key insights from? You can upload it to either of these, and they can help you pull out the important information. It's a real boon for research.
• Reasoning or thinking models: When it comes to thinking things through, both chatbots have upgraded brains — well, thinking models. DeepSeek has DeepSeek R1 (aka DeepThink), while ChatGPT uses o1. Both are designed to handle logic and complex tasks more effectively.

Features are one thing, but how do these chatbots actually perform? To find out, I tested them on 10 real-world tasks.

Disclaimer: AI responses may vary based on phrasing, session history, and system updates for the same prompts. These results reflect the models' capabilities at the time of testing. This review is an individual opinion and doesn’t reflect G2’s position about the mentioned software’s likes and dislikes.

DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT: How they actually performed in my tests

You're probably on the edge of your seat to see how these AI brains actually performed in the real world, right? Well, for each test I threw at them, here's the lowdown on how I'm going to break it all down for you:

• What stood out?  I'll point out what each AI did well, where they stumbled, and any moments that made me go, "Whoa!" (in a good and bad.)
• Who did it better? I'll tell you straight up which AI came out on top based on things like how accurate they were, how creative they got, how quickly they did the job, and just how easy their answers were to actually use.
• Final verdict: My honest take on which chatbot I’d choose for that specific use case.

1. Summarization

For this first challenge, I wanted to see how well they could nail a concise summary. I gave both ChatGPT and DeepSeek an article from G2 about how more and more non-designers are using Canva. Their mission was to boil it down to exactly three bullet points and keep it under 50 words. 

ChatGPT gave me a well-rounded summary that pulled in real detail from the article, including G2 data, Canva’s appeal to non-designers, and even mentioned some drawbacks. It felt thoughtful and complete — but here’s the catch: it didn’t stick to the word count. It was definitely over 50 words, which technically breaks the rules of the prompt.

ChatGPT's response to the summarization prompt

DeepSeek, on the other hand, followed the instructions perfectly. It stayed well within the word limit, and its three bullet points were clear, structured, and easy to scan. The only snag I saw was that the source was not mentioned. 

DeepSeek's response to the summarization prompt

So, who did it better? Honestly, it depends on what you value more. If you’re a stickler for format and clarity, DeepSeek did exactly what I asked. But if you're looking for depth and useful detail, ChatGPT edged ahead — even if it got a little wordy. Personally, I’d give it to DeepSeek for prompt adherence.

Winner: DeepSeek

2. Content creation

Content creation is where you see AI chatbots popping up everywhere these days. So, for this content creation gig, I wanted to see which AI could handle a full-on marketing brief, from writing a product description and tagline to creating platform-specific posts and ad copy. And honestly? Both DeepSeek and ChatGPT did an impressive job.

ChatGPT's response to content creation prompt

ChatGPT was all about that smooth, polished vibe with a bit of its own personality shining through. The product description just flowed, the social posts felt like they were ready to go live, and the tagline "Power your phone, power the planet" was one of those that sticks in your head without being cheesy. Its TikTok and YouTube ideas? Totally understood the platforms and had a good pace. The overall tone was just right – fun but still clear. It felt like real marketing material you could actually use.

DeepSeek's response to the content creation prompt

Then, you had DeepSeek, which was super organized and structured. Everything was laid out so neatly, with clear headings, bullet points, and to-the-point messaging. The tagline "Power Up. Anywhere. Naturally." was solid and did the job, even if it wasn't trying to win any awards for flashiness. The content overall felt a bit more like a template, which isn't necessarily bad, just more of a first-draft kind of feel. 

DeepSeek's response to the content creation prompt

But, and this is a big "but," there was this one line in its TikTok script that just completely missed the mark for me. DeepSeek went with "dead phone? never heard of her." I get where it was going for, but it just sounded…ominous. 

So who won? So both did well, but ChatGPT gets the slight win for being more creative and brand-aware. Its output felt closer to ready-to-publish. DeepSeek was solid but that one TikTok line? Definitely getting cut. 

Winner: ChatGPT

3. Creative writing

This was a fun task. I asked both bots to craft a 300-word science fiction story based on a specific set of elements.

ChatGPT’s story “Whispers of the Wanderer” had steady, cinematic pacing that built tension organically. It felt tight, poetic, and confidently written, with just enough world-building to spark your imagination without bogging things down. The phrasing in places, like “each swirl like a living thing” or “walls shimmering as if reality itself frayed,” stood out as polished and evocative. And the twist landed hard!

ChatGPT's story "Whispers of Wanderer" for the creative writing task

Then I read DeepSeek’s version, “Echoes in the Nebula”. The writing was solid. The twist, while thoughtful, felt more like a gentle reveal than a true gut punch. I felt the story delivered a more emotionally satisfying and easily understandable story within a classic sci-fi framework.

DeepSeek's response to my creative writing prompt

If I were judging on impact alone, I might lean slightly toward ChatGPT — but truthfully, both nailed it in their own style. This one’s a draw.

Winner: Split

4. Coding  

For the coding task, I asked both chatbots to help me build a simple password generator using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

DeepSeek almost surprised me here. Not only did it let me run the code directly inside the chat (which was incredibly convenient), but it also included a password strength checker. That extra touch? I didn’t expect it, and it genuinely impressed me.

It made the whole experience feel a bit more “developer-ready.” But then, just as I was about to copy the generated password, I hit a snag — the “Copy to Clipboard” button didn’t work. Everything else functioned smoothly, but that one piece broke the flow.

DeepSeek's code for a password generator

ChatGPT, on the other hand, gave me a clean, fully functional version. I ran it in OneCompiler, and everything worked as expected — password generation, copying, and even a confirmation alert. It didn’t have the added strength meter like DeepSeek did, but the code was reliable and plug-and-play.

ChatGPTs code for a password generator

I really wanted to give this round to DeepSeek. But that clipboard bug kept it from being flawless. ChatGPT’s output was simpler, but it worked from top to bottom without any hiccups. So, ChatGPT takes it. 

Winner: ChatGPT

5. Multilingual capabilities 

Given both the AI chatbots are multilingual, I was curious to see how well these could handle translations beyond just English. So, I tasked them with translating a simple English paragraph into Tamil, my native language.

Honestly, both translations were just okay — not perfect, but serviceable.

ChatGPT’s version started strong. I actually preferred its word choice for “quick,” which felt more natural to me than DeepSeek’s. But where ChatGPT fell a little flat was in the third sentence; it felt a bit clunky and didn’t flow as well.

Translation by ChatGPT

DeepSeek, on the other hand, did a better job with that final line. It read more clearly and sounded smoother overall. What also stood out was the extra context DeepSeek added. It explained how it translated certain terms like “pangram” and why it chose to transliterate some of them. That kind of thoughtfulness definitely added points.

Translation by DeepSeek

While neither translation blew me away, DeepSeek edged ahead on this one. It wasn’t flawless, but it showed more attention to nuance and produced a slightly more polished result overall.

Winner: DeepSeek

6. Image analysis 

I was curious how well these AI chatbots could handle visual inputs, not just plain prompts. Could they actually look at an image and give me a clear, useful breakdown? To find out, I gave them two very different challenges: an infographic on AI adoption trends and a handwritten version of a classic poem. I wasn’t after basic descriptions; I wanted real analysis, structure, and insights that go beyond the obvious.

ChatGPT honestly nailed both tasks. It broke down the infographic clearly, pulling out key stats and structuring them in a way that made sense.

But what impressed me more was how it handled the handwritten poem. It accurately transcribed Emily Dickinson’s “Hope is the Thing with Feathers” word for word, even describing the style of handwriting and the paper it was written on. There was no confusion, no overthinking—it just got it right.

ChatGPT's response to my image analysis prompt

DeepSeek also did well, especially with the infographic. It didn’t just extract the key points; it gave me strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for improving the design. That was a thoughtful extra step, and I appreciated the editorial lens. 

DeepSeek's response to my image analysis prompt

But when it came to the poem, it stumbled a bit. It misinterpreted the image as a modified or slightly inaccurate version of Dickinson’s original, assuming there were spelling errors or intentional changes — even though the image was a clean reproduction of the actual poem. So, while it got the gist, it layered on an interpretation that wasn’t really true.

DeepSeek transcribing my hand-written notes as part of the image analysis task

Winner: ChatGPT

7. File analysis

For the file analysis test, I uploaded Einstein’s 1905 paper “On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies” and asked both chatbots to summarize the key findings in five bullet points, under 100 words. I wanted to see how well each one could distill dense academic content into something readable and concise without skipping the important stuff.

ChatGPT’s summary was spot on. It covered all the right principles, like relativity, constancy of light speed, time dilation, simultaneity, and Lorentz transformations, with clarity and structure. Each point was tight and accessible without oversimplifying. Plus, the formatting and flow made it super easy to follow

ChatGPT's response to the file analysis task

DeepSeek’s version wasn’t bad at all! It hit many of the same points but it skipped over the constancy of light speed, which is kind of a big deal for special relativity. That omission made its list feel slightly incomplete, even though it did include other concepts.

DeepSeek's response to the file analysis task

For this one, ChatGPT wins. It gave me a more complete and technically sound breakdown, which is exactly what I needed for a high-level academic summary.

Winner: ChatGPT

8. Data analysis 

For this task, I threw a CSV file at both chatbots to see how well they could go beyond the basics and actually interpret raw data. I wanted each AI to pull out real trends, spot outliers, and summarize the biggest insights — not just echo back the numbers.

ChatGPT did a neat job summarizing the basics: top-ranking regions, average interest, and even pointed out that there weren’t any extreme outliers. It was clear, readable, and felt like something you could share with a general audience.

ChatGPT's response to the data analysis prompt

But DeepSeek? It went deeper. It not only flagged key data points but also explained why they mattered. It called out patterns in tech adoption, suggested practical marketing applications, and even noted limitations in the dataset — things like missing context and lack of demographic breakdowns. That extra layer of interpretation made it feel more like a real data analysis, not just a summary.

DeepSeek's response to the data analysis prompt

Between the two, I’d say DeepSeek pulled ahead on this one.

Winner: DeepSeek 

9. Real-time web search

When it comes to testing real-time web searches, how “live” these AI models actually are? I asked both ChatGPT and DeepSeek to pull in current news about artificial intelligence.

ChatGPT gave me three headlines that were incredibly fresh — literally just a day old. Honestly, I’ve been using ChatGPT’s web browsing feature for a while now, and the difference is noticeable. It used to be hit-or-miss, sometimes laggy or pulling outdated info, but now, and especially this time, it feels snappy and relevant. Getting headlines from just the day before made it feel like I was chatting with a real-time news assistant.

ChatGPT's response to the real-time web search task

DeepSeek, on the other hand, surfaced news stories that were a bit older — most of them from mid-March. That said, it clearly casts a wider net. It didn’t just list headlines; it included context and significance. While it didn’t quite match ChatGPT in terms of freshness, it definitely brought more breadth and depth to the table.

DeepSeek's response to the real-time web search task

If I had to sum it up, ChatGPT wins on recency, but DeepSeek makes a strong case for breadth. Depends on whether you want fast or thorough. Personally, I want fresh news, and in that case, it’s a clean win for ChatGPT.

Winner: ChatGPT

10. Reasoning capabilities 

For my final challenge, I wanted to see if they could really think. I gave both ChatGPT and DeepSeek a classic logic puzzle to see if they could work through it step by step. Real-world AI needs to handle tricky logic and reach smart conclusions, so this was the ultimate test of their smarts, not just their answers. 

Both ChatGPT and DeepSeek impressed me with how they handled the logic puzzle. ChatGPT felt like talking to a thoughtful problem-solver. It didn’t just give me the answer but walked me through its thought process step by step. 

ChatGPT's response to the reasoning task

What really stood out was how it acknowledged that there could be more than one valid solution. That showed a deeper understanding of how these constraint-based puzzles work. It gave me a consistent solution but also showed how the pieces could shift around without breaking the rules, which made the reasoning feel flexible and human.

ChatGPT's response to the reasoning task

DeepSeek took a more structured approach. It broke down the constraints clearly, tested different scenarios, and verified each clue with satisfying little checkmarks along the way. I appreciated how organized and methodical it was — it felt like watching a logic grid get filled out piece by piece.

DeepSeek's response to the reasoning task

It arrived at a perfectly correct solution and presented it neatly, but it didn’t explicitly call out the possibility of alternate answers at the end, even though it hinted at it during the reasoning. That made its final output feel just a bit more rigid in comparison. 

In the end, both got the job done well. But for me, ChatGPT had the edge with how naturally it reasoned things out and how clearly it communicated the flexibility in the puzzle. It just felt a little more intuitive and insightful.

Winner: ChatGPT

DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT: Head-to-head comparison table 

Here’s a table showing which chatbot won the tasks. 

DeepSeek vs ChatGPT: My final verdict

After testing both across ten real-world tasks, ChatGPT still comes out on top. It’s more polished, integrates better, and feels faster and smoother overall. But I’ve got to say, DeepSeek genuinely surprised me.

As someone who’s spent a lot of time trying everything from Gemini and Claude to Perplexity, DeepSeek didn’t feel like just another alternative. It’s a serious contender.
What I really love about it is that it's shaking things up with a completely free and open-source approach. That kind of competition is exactly what the AI space needs, and honestly, it's a breath of fresh air!

Of course, DeepSeek has some rough edges — from minor UI quirks to occasional performance lags, and it lacks the seamless experience ChatGPT offers with voice, files, and third-party integrations. But for something that’s completely free? It’s doing a lot right and that’s hard to ignore.

So, while ChatGPT wins this one, the bigger takeaway is this: use what fits your needs. I still lean on ChatGPT for writing, research, and speed. But DeepSeek has definitely earned a place in my rotation, especially when I need logic-heavy output or just want a solid AI assistant without hitting a paywall. Between you and me? I love that we now have options.

The variety is a good thing. And this space is better for it.

Frequently asked questions on DeepSeek and ChatGPT

Still have questions? Get your answers here!

1. How is DeepSeek different from ChatGPT?

DeepSeek is open-source and free, with a strong focus on multilingual capabilities and logic-driven reasoning. ChatGPT is a commercial product with a polished interface, advanced features (like voice, file analysis, custom GPTs), and broader integration options. While ChatGPT feels more mature, DeepSeek is a powerful free ChatGPT alternative for users who value transparency and open models.

2. DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT: Which is better?

It depends on the use case. ChatGPT offers a more refined interface, stronger integrations, and reliable creative output — particularly with the paid GPT-4 model. DeepSeek is fully free and open-source, making it a great alternative for users looking for strong reasoning, multilingual support, and zero cost. ChatGPT is more feature-rich, while DeepSeek excels in accessibility and openness.

3. Is ChatGPT or DeepSeek better for coding?

ChatGPT is better suited for production-ready code, debugging, and explanation-heavy tasks. It provides polished output with high consistency. DeepSeek supports coding with reasoning-heavy capabilities and even includes built-in features like a password strength checker.

Best for usability: ChatGPT

Best for free access: DeepSeek

4. ChatGPT vs. DeepSeek: Which has better integrations?

ChatGPT has more robust integrations, including built-in support for Google Drive, file handling, and access to third-party plugins. It also allows users to create and use custom GPTs with memory and tool support. DeepSeek does not offer native integrations as of yet (unless deployed in a custom, self-hosted environment.)

5. ChatGPT or DeepSeek: Which AI chatbot is better for math and problem-solving

ChatGPT typically provides better step-by-step explanations and is more user-friendly for math problems and structured reasoning. DeepSeek is capable of solving logic-based problems and puzzles effectively but may sound more mechanical in tone.

6. Can I use both ChatGPT and DeepSeek?

Yes. Both tools can be used in tandem depending on the task. ChatGPT is well-suited for writing, brainstorming, and integrated workflows. DeepSeek is ideal for users looking for a free AI tool with solid reasoning and multilingual capabilities.

7. Is ChatGPT or DeepSeek better for writing and creative tasks?

ChatGPT is the stronger option for writing and creative content. It generates high-quality copy, storytelling, and structured text across use cases. DeepSeek performs well but may produce more generic or templated content depending on the prompt and might need some editing.

8. ChatGPT vs. DeepSeek: Which is more accurate?

ChatGPT is more accurate overall, particularly when using GPT-4 with web browsing enabled. It provides reliable, up-to-date responses with better contextual understanding. DeepSeek is generally accurate for logic-based tasks but lacks transparency around its knowledge cutoff and occasionally misses nuance.

9. DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT: Which is better in terms of price comparison?

DeepSeek is 100% free to use with no feature restrictions. ChatGPT offers both a free plan and a $20/month Plus plan. The Plus plan unlocks advanced models and features like custom GPTs and higher rate limits for chats.

ChatGPT and DeepSeek aren’t the only AI chatbots out there. I’ve rounded up the top AI chatbots to try my best ChatGPT alternatives guide. Check it out!