# DeepSeek vs Factory

> DeepSeek: Free AI chat app and low-cost API running DeepSeek's open-weights V4 models
> Factory: Agent-native software development platform where Droids handle full engineering tasks end to end

- DeepSeek profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/deepseek
- Factory profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/factory
- Comparison page: https://finderatlas.com/compare/deepseek-vs-factory
- Last reviewed: October 2026

## Verdict

DeepSeek is listed under AI Assistants and Factory under Coding AI. DeepSeek scores higher in FinderAtlas's editorial review (8.8 vs 8.2 out of 10), led by ease of use. Only DeepSeek has a free plan or trial. Only DeepSeek is available on iOS and Android. Only Factory is available on Linux and CLI.

### Choose DeepSeek if

- You want a tool built for Low-cost API integration.
- Web chat and mobile apps are free.
- API output costs from $0.60 per 1M tokens (Flash, off-peak), well below most frontier providers.

### Choose Factory if

- You want a tool built for delegating backlog tickets, automated pull request review, test generation, incident investigation and long-running refactors or migrations.
- Covers the full delivery loop: implementation, review, testing, incident response and documentation.
- Model independence, with a router and bring-your-own-key support for custom models.

## Pricing

| | DeepSeek | Factory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Paid |
| Free plan or trial | Yes | No |
| Starting price | $0 | $20 |

## Features

| Feature | DeepSeek | Factory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| V4 model family | Yes | Not listed |
| Thinking mode | Yes | Not listed |
| Open weights | Yes | Not listed |
| OpenAI and Anthropic compatible API | Yes | Not listed |
| Tool calls and JSON output | Yes | Not listed |
| Search and Fetch APIs | Yes | Not listed |
| Agent tool integrations | Yes | Not listed |
| DeepSeek Harness | Yes | Not listed |
| Vision on Flash | Yes | Not listed |
| Droids | Not listed | Yes |
| Droid CLI | Not listed | Yes |
| Missions | Not listed | Yes |
| Automations | Not listed | Yes |
| Droid Computers | Not listed | Yes |
| Model Independence | Not listed | Yes |
| Human Approval Checkpoints | Not listed | Yes |
| Analytics | Not listed | Yes |
| Public API | Not listed | Yes |

## Platforms

| Platform | DeepSeek | Factory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | No |
| Android | Yes | No |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Browser Extension | No | No |
| Linux | No | Yes |
| CLI | No | Yes |

## DeepSeek strengths

- Web chat and mobile apps are free
- API output costs from $0.60 per 1M tokens (Flash, off-peak), well below most frontier providers
- Open weights for V4 and earlier models on Hugging Face
- 1M-token context and 384K max output on both API models
- API works with both OpenAI and Anthropic SDKs and several coding agents

## DeepSeek limitations

- Peak-hour API rates are double the off-peak rates on weekday mornings UTC
- deepseek-v4-pro does not support vision input
- No image generation
- Data is processed by a company based in China, which some organizations cannot accept

## Factory strengths

- Covers the full delivery loop: implementation, review, testing, incident response and documentation.
- Model independence, with a router and bring-your-own-key support for custom models.
- Available in desktop, CLI, web and several IDEs, so work is not tied to one editor.
- Enterprise controls including SSO, audit logging, zero data retention and on-premise options.
- Public API and OpenAPI specification for building on top of the platform.

## Factory limitations

- No free tier or trial is listed; the entry plan is $20 per month.
- Usage limits are given only as multiples of Pro, so actual capacity is hard to estimate.
- Business and Enterprise pricing is contact-sales only.
- Droid Computers are limited to Plus and higher plans.

## FAQ

**Is DeepSeek better than Factory?**

It depends on your workflow. DeepSeek is built for Low-cost API integration. Factory is built for delegating backlog tickets, automated pull request review, test generation, incident investigation and long-running refactors or migrations.

**What are the key feature differences between DeepSeek and Factory?**

DeepSeek: Free AI chat app and low-cost API running DeepSeek's open-weights V4 models. Factory: Agent-native software development platform where Droids handle full engineering tasks end to end.

**Does DeepSeek or Factory have a free plan?**

DeepSeek has a free plan or trial; Factory is paid only.

**Which is cheaper, DeepSeek or Factory?**

DeepSeek starts at $0 and Factory starts at $20. See the pricing table above for what each tier includes.