Versus comparison
Grok vs Deepseek
Coding and agentic work on the newest models, real-time X data answers, always-on Grok Bot agents, and building apps/sites in Build Mode · Reasoning, coding, and cost-conscious model evaluation
| Decision point | Grok | DeepSeek |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Coding and agentic work on the newest models, real-time X data answers, always-on Grok Bot agents, and building apps/sites in Build Mode | Reasoning, coding, and cost-conscious model evaluation |
| Category | General AI Assistant | General AI Assistant |
| Price | Free tier; SuperGrok $30/mo; SuperGrok Plus $100/mo; API from $1–$6 per 1M tokens | Free + API pricing |
| AIToolsEssentials score | 4.5/5 | 4.3/5 |
Evidence status
Grok Free is $0. SuperGrok is $30/month, SuperGrok Plus is $100/month, with higher tiers above. API (docs.x.ai, checked 2026-08-25): Grok 4.6 $2.00 input / $6.00 output per 1M tokens (500K context); prior Grok 4.3 $1.25/$2.50 per 1M. Voice API from $0.05/min; TTS $15/1M chars.
Official sources checked 2026-08-25Open verification questions
- Enterprise prices are not published and require a sales quote.
- Pricing or entitlements for Grok accessed through an X subscription were not treated as equivalent to standalone SuperGrok plans.
- The consumer terms require attribution under xAI's Brand Guidelines when using Output or xAI brand elements; applicability to a specific commercial use requires case-specific review.
xAI's consumer terms, effective June 26, 2026, state that users retain ownership rights in User Content to the extent permitted by law. Logged-in users can choose whether User Content is used for product improvement and model training; logged-out use may grant broader training rights where permitted. The standalone Grok service and Grok accessed through X are governed by different privacy policies.
DeepSeek's official website describes its consumer web chat as free. No official paid consumer or team subscription schedule was located. API access is separately usage-priced, with current model and peak/off-peak rates published in DeepSeek's API pricing documentation.
Official sources checked 2026-08-25Open verification questions
- No official consumer team subscription or enterprise-seat price was found.
- Current API prices are model-, token-, cache-, and peak/off-peak-dependent and are not summarized as a single price.
- Output ownership does not establish that every output is copyrightable or free of third-party rights.
DeepSeek's privacy policy says Inputs and related personal data may be used to improve services and train machine-learning models and that collected personal data is directly processed and stored in the People's Republic of China. Its terms state that users retain any rights in Inputs and that DeepSeek assigns to users any rights it may have in Outputs, subject to applicable law and the terms; the terms expressly mention lawful uses including personal use, research, derivative-product development, and training other models.
External benchmark context
- grok-4.1 — rank #53, 1459±3 (66,382 votes; snapshot 2026-09-02).
- deepseek-v4-pro — rank #55, 1458±4 (54,225 votes; snapshot 2026-09-02).
Benchmark records apply only to the exact model/configuration shown—not the whole product. Independent same-task hands-on comparison: not yet published. See the testing protocol.
How to decide
Match each platform to your actual workflow constraints. Run one real workflow in each finalist before paying.
Quick recommendation
Use the trial checklist on each review page and the free scorecard to record time-to-result, corrections needed, and monthly cost at your expected volume before committing to a plan.