# DeepSeek vs Kimi

> DeepSeek: Free AI chat app and low-cost API running DeepSeek's open-weights V4 models
> Kimi: Chat, research and agent assistant from Moonshot AI, built on its Kimi K3 model

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

## Verdict

DeepSeek and Kimi are both AI Assistants tools. DeepSeek scores higher in FinderAtlas's editorial review (8.8 vs 7.9 out of 10). Both have a free plan or trial. Only DeepSeek is available on Windows and Android.

### 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 Kimi if

- You want a tool built for Long-form research, generating slide decks and documents, parallel agent tasks, coding assistance with Kimi Code.
- International USD plans start at $19/month and include Kimi Code and Agent Swarm.
- Broad agent toolset: deep research, slides, documents, spreadsheets, website building and scheduled tasks.

## Pricing

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

## Features

| Feature | DeepSeek | Kimi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 |
| Kimi K3 Assistant | Not listed | Yes |
| Agent Swarm | Not listed | Yes |
| Deep Research | Not listed | Yes |
| Presentations and Documents | Not listed | Yes |
| App and Website Builder | Not listed | Yes |
| Scheduled Tasks and Projects | Not listed | Yes |
| Kimi Code | Not listed | Yes |
| Plugins | Not listed | Yes |
| Goal Mode | Not listed | Yes |

## Platforms

| Platform | DeepSeek | Kimi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | No |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | No |
| 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

## Kimi strengths

- International USD plans start at $19/month and include Kimi Code and Agent Swarm.
- Broad agent toolset: deep research, slides, documents, spreadsheets, website building and scheduled tasks.
- A separate pay-per-token API with a 1M-token context window on K3.
- Rated 4.7 out of 5 from 5.3K ratings on the US App Store.
- Earlier K2-family models were reported to have downloadable weights, which suits self-hosting teams.

## Kimi limitations

- Free-tier limits are not clearly published on the help pages.
- Plan structure is changing: legacy plan names (Moderato, Allegretto, Allegro, Vivace) coexist with Plus, Pro, Max and Ultra, which can confuse buyers.
- Credits do not roll over, and one shared pool covers chat, agents and Kimi Code.
- The site interface and several help pages default to Chinese; I found no confirmed Android or Windows client.

## FAQ

**Is DeepSeek better than Kimi?**

It depends on your workflow. DeepSeek is built for Low-cost API integration. Kimi is built for Long-form research, generating slide decks and documents, parallel agent tasks, coding assistance with Kimi Code.

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

DeepSeek: Free AI chat app and low-cost API running DeepSeek's open-weights V4 models. Kimi: Chat, research and agent assistant from Moonshot AI, built on its Kimi K3 model.

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

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

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

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