| Feature | DeepSeek | Perplexity |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Type | freemium | freemium |
| Starting Price | $0.00/mo | $20.00/mo |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Reviews | N/A | N/A |
| Key Features | DeepSeek V4 and R2 reasoning models, Open-weights — self-hostable, Web search integration | Real-time web search with citations, Multiple AI model options, Focus modes (Academic, Writing, Math) |
Pricing Type
DeepSeek
freemium
Perplexity
freemium
Starting Price
DeepSeek
$0.00/mo
Perplexity
$20.00/mo
Free Tier
DeepSeek
Yes
Perplexity
Yes
Rating
DeepSeek
4.5/5
Perplexity
4.5/5
Reviews
DeepSeek
N/A
Perplexity
N/A
Key Features
DeepSeek
DeepSeek V4 and R2 reasoning models, Open-weights — self-hostable, Web search integration
Perplexity
Real-time web search with citations, Multiple AI model options, Focus modes (Academic, Writing, Math)
Too close to call
Both tools score within 5 points of each other. Try both and decide based on your workflow.