# DeepSeek vs Felo

> DeepSeek: Free AI chat app and low-cost API running DeepSeek's open-weights V4 models
> Felo: Multilingual AI search engine that also builds slides, mind maps and research reports

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

## Verdict

DeepSeek is listed under AI Assistants and Felo under Education & Research. DeepSeek scores higher in FinderAtlas's editorial review (8.8 vs 7.7 out of 10). Both have a free plan or trial. Only DeepSeek is available on Windows and macOS.

### 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 Felo if

- You want a tool built for cited multilingual web research, quickly turning a topic into a slide deck, and users who want search plus generation tools under one subscription.
- Permanent free plan with 200 credits per day and no credit card required.
- Combines cited search with slides, images, video and agents in one subscription.

## Pricing

| | DeepSeek | Felo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Free plan or trial | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | $0 | $0 |

## Features

| Feature | DeepSeek | Felo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 |
| AI Search with Citations | Not listed | Yes |
| Multilingual Support | Not listed | Yes |
| AI Slides | Not listed | Yes |
| Deep Research | Not listed | Yes |
| Custom Agents | Not listed | Yes |
| Image and Video Generation | Not listed | Yes |
| LiveDoc | Not listed | Yes |
| Developer API | Not listed | Yes |

## Platforms

| Platform | DeepSeek | Felo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | No |
| macOS | Yes | No |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Browser Extension | No | No |

## 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

## Felo strengths

- Permanent free plan with 200 credits per day and no credit card required.
- Combines cited search with slides, images, video and agents in one subscription.
- Pro plan at about $15 per month includes API access.
- Multilingual focus, including Japanese-language accuracy.
- Available on web, iOS and Android.

## Felo limitations

- Credit-based usage makes real limits harder to predict than fixed quotas.
- Free plan excludes AI Slides, AI Designer, custom agents, video and the API.
- Pro credits do not roll over between billing cycles.
- Current pricing is rendered dynamically and older published plan descriptions (search counts) differ from the new credit model.

## FAQ

**Is DeepSeek better than Felo?**

It depends on your workflow. DeepSeek is built for Low-cost API integration. Felo is built for cited multilingual web research, quickly turning a topic into a slide deck, and users who want search plus generation tools under one subscription.

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

DeepSeek: Free AI chat app and low-cost API running DeepSeek's open-weights V4 models. Felo: Multilingual AI search engine that also builds slides, mind maps and research reports.

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

Yes, both do. DeepSeek is freemium and Felo is freemium, and each has a free plan or trial.

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

Both can be used for free. Paid plans differ in limits and features, so compare the tiers in the pricing table above.