# DeepSeek vs Qwen

> DeepSeek: Free AI chat app and low-cost API running DeepSeek's open-weights V4 models
> Qwen: Alibaba's free AI assistant and open-weight model family, on web, mobile and API

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

## Verdict

DeepSeek and Qwen are both AI Assistants tools. Both have a free plan or trial. Only DeepSeek is available on Windows, macOS and iOS.

### 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 Qwen if

- You want a tool built for free general-purpose chat.
- Free web assistant with image, video and document features.
- Open-weight models in many sizes on Hugging Face and GitHub.

## Pricing

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

## Features

| Feature | DeepSeek | Qwen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 |
| Document processing | Not listed | Yes |
| Web search and tool use | Not listed | Yes |
| Voice and video chat | Not listed | Yes |
| Artifacts | Not listed | Yes |
| Multi-model chat | Not listed | Yes |
| Image and video understanding | Not listed | Yes |
| Image generation and editing | Not listed | Yes |
| Open-weight models | Not listed | Yes |
| Model Studio API | Not listed | Yes |

## Platforms

| Platform | DeepSeek | Qwen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | No |
| macOS | Yes | No |
| iOS | Yes | No |
| 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

## Qwen strengths

- Free web assistant with image, video and document features
- Open-weight models in many sizes on Hugging Face and GitHub
- Hosted API with Max, Flash and Omni model options
- Strong multilingual coverage, including Chinese
- Many models can be self-hosted, which keeps data on your own hardware

## Qwen limitations

- No published paid consumer tier or stated usage limits for the free assistant
- Open-weight licenses vary by model, so not every model is Apache 2.0
- Hosted chat and API are run by a China-based company, which may not suit sensitive data
- App and model names change often, which can make official apps hard to identify

## FAQ

**Is DeepSeek better than Qwen?**

It depends on your workflow. DeepSeek is built for Low-cost API integration. Qwen is built for free general-purpose chat.

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

DeepSeek: Free AI chat app and low-cost API running DeepSeek's open-weights V4 models. Qwen: Alibaba's free AI assistant and open-weight model family, on web, mobile and API.

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

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

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

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