DeepSeek is a Chinese AI model optimized for reasoning and coding with lower computational costs, while Perplexity is a US-based AI search engine focused on real-time web information retrieval and source citation. They serve different primary use cases: DeepSeek excels at complex problem-solving, while Perplexity excels at current information gathering.
DeepSeek vs Perplexity — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose DeepSeek if you need advanced reasoning for complex problems, coding assistance, or cost-effective AI API access without privacy concerns about browsing history. Choose Perplexity if you need current information, fact-checking with cited sources, or prefer a US-based privacy policy—particularly valuable for research, journalism, and time-sensitive queries.
Chinese AI reasoning model optimized for complex problem-solving and code generation with lower costs.
US-based AI search engine providing real-time web answers with full source attribution.
DeepSeek vs Perplexity — Comparison Data
Structured comparison data for DeepSeek vs Perplexity with 139 attributes.
Reasoning Task Performance (GPQA Benchmark)
Minimum GPU VRAM for Full Model Inference
Math Reasoning Accuracy (AIME Benchmark)
Code Generation - Codeforces Problems Solved
DeepSeek vs Perplexity — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for DeepSeek vs Perplexity.
Which AI is better for current events and breaking news?
Perplexity is significantly better for current information. It has real-time web search integration with sources updated daily, while DeepSeek's knowledge cutoff is April 2024 and cannot access live web data. Perplexity cites specific sources, making it ideal for journalism and time-sensitive research.
DeepSeek is substantially cheaper. Input tokens cost $0.14 per 1M tokens compared to Perplexity's API (when available), and DeepSeek's free tier has unlimited usage with soft rate limits. Perplexity's free tier is limited to 5 daily searches, while paid is $20/month.
Which is better for math and coding problems?
DeepSeek-R1 is specifically optimized for reasoning and achieved 71% accuracy on the AIME math benchmark, making it superior for complex problem-solving and algorithm design. Perplexity focuses on information retrieval rather than reasoning tasks and doesn't publish comparable benchmarks.
Is DeepSeek safe regarding privacy and data?
DeepSeek doesn't access the web, so it doesn't track browsing history. However, it's a Chinese company subject to Chinese data regulations. Perplexity is US-based with a stated privacy policy of not retaining search history in the free tier. Both have privacy tradeoffs depending on jurisdiction preferences.
Can I use DeepSeek and Perplexity for commercial applications?
DeepSeek offers commercial API access with transparent pricing ($0.14/$0.56 per 1M tokens for input/output). Perplexity's commercial terms are less clearly defined—the free tier has use restrictions, and Pro ($20/month) appears designed for individual users. DeepSeek is more developer-friendly for commercial integration.