What if we told you that there is a new ChatGPT alternative that allows you to access all services offered by the tool bot just for free? Well, if you have been following what has been happening on X (formerly Twitter) Tech Space, then DeepSeek should not be a new phrase for you by now. But then, for those who might not be able to understand what DeepSeek is, it’s a free AI-powered Chatbot that is as simple and terrifying as ChatGPT.
In this Guide, we will try to walk you through DeepSeek, how it works, how to use it, its possible limits, and why this model stands out from OpenAI’s models.
What is DeepSeek?
DeepSeek is a Chinese AI startup founded in China by Liang Wenfeng in December 2023 but recently gained global attention, especially in January 2025 with the release of its open-source large language models (LLMs), DeepSeek-R1 and DeepSeek-R1-Zero.
This model stands out for its advanced reasoning capabilities and efficiency in using computational resources, positioning itself as a direct competitor to models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude.
How DeepSeek Works
Deepseek is built on an open-source Philosophy, meaning that you can freely access all its codes and documentation and even modify and distribute all the Models available by Deepseek. It is also a Simulated Reasoning (SR) model, meaning it can reason and think like humans and shows its thinking process in real time.
The Technology in use is chain-of-thought (CoT), a process that uses inference-stage reasoning. The model applies its learned knowledge to new, unseen data to make predictions, decisions, or tasks in real-time, using its knowledge to make predictions, decisions, or solve tasks.
But the true “Magic” here is what experts refer to as pure Reinforcement Learning (RL), whereby instead of human involvement in training the model (Supervised learning), the models themselves learn through a process of trial and error and improve themselves through algorithmic rewards.
How to try DeepSeek
If you want to try DeepSeek, there are a few methods that you can personally try. However, if you are going to give it a try, you should know that according to its privacy policy, Deepseek collects all the information right from Registration, i.e., email, username, Prompts, Chat history, and the device you are using ( Model, IP address, etc.).
Below are the methods that you can use to give DeepSeek a try:
Method 1: App for iOS and Android
If you want to use your phone, you can download the official DeepSeek app:
- Android: Launch the Play Store, tap Search at the bottom, type DeepSeek at the top, and tap the result (or go directly to this link), then tap Install
- iPhone: Launch the App Store, tap Search at the bottom, type DeepSeek at the top, and tap the result (or go directly to this link ). Then tap Get, and if necessary, authenticate with Face ID / Touch ID by double-pressing the side button
Whether using iPhone or Android, after installation, launch the app, register using the method you prefer, and you can start using the chatbot.
Method 2: From the site
Similarly, you can also access DeepSeek from the website. To do so, go to this address, register using an email address, and enter the password twice.
Click on Send code. You will receive a confirmation code. Type it in the appropriate field, then check the box to accept the terms of use and click on Sign up.
Now, depending on the Method that you use to Register after logging in to the App, you will notice that the interface is similar to similar tools: at the bottom, there is a prompt field with the option to attach photos, images, or documents by tapping the “+” button at the bottom right. You can upload up to 50 files of 100 MB each, and images are only helpful if there is text inside to be extracted.
Tapping Search will activate web search, like ChatGPT’s eponymous tool while tapping Deep Thinking at the bottom left will activate the more advanced DeepSeek-R1 model (DeepSeek V3 is normally used).
To start a new chat, tap the speech bubble icon in the top right, while to access the settings, tap the icon with two lines on the top left and then your profile icon on the bottom left.
FAQs
Is DeepSeek or ChatGPT better?
If you are wondering which two models are better, it actually depends on what you are going to do with them. For example, Deepsek is good at developing technical skills like coding and reasoning, while ChatGPT is better at handling day-to-day tasks like creative writing and conversational tasks.
What’s so special about DeepSeek?
What makes Depsek special currently is its approach to developing LLMs (large language models) at significantly lower costs ( less than $6 million) than established industry giants like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Is the DeepSeek app free?
DeepSeek is an open-source platform, meaning you can access all its features for free without paying any cost, except for accessing their API services, which cost $2.19 per million “tokens.”
Who is behind DeepSeek?
Liang Wenfeng founded DeepSek in December 2023
Wrapping-Up
If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to ChatGPT, then DeepSeek is a good alternative. However, if you plan to switch, you should know there are still limitations to using it. First, it’s Questions to Data Privacy, and second, it does not offer all the features currently available on ChatGPT, such as image generation or using Canvas. But if you want to ask the AI chatbot questions or extract text from images, Generate code, and even Write articles, then DeepSeek is all you need.
