ChatGPT vs DeepSeek
ChatGPT and DeepSeek sit in the same category and share 1 task. The verdict below is calculated for each role from the tasks, the role fit and the price.
Short answer
ChatGPT wins for 20 of 20 roles in our data. ChatGPT starts at $20/mo; DeepSeek publishes no fixed price.
Verdict by role
| Role | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Accountant | ChatGPT | covers 20 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit; built for this role |
| Lawyer | ChatGPT | covers 21 of this role's tasks against 0; part of the role's core toolkit; built for this role |
| HR manager | ChatGPT | covers 24 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit; built for this role |
| Finance manager | ChatGPT | covers 22 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Manager | ChatGPT | covers 40 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Marketer | ChatGPT | covers 40 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Sales manager | ChatGPT | covers 40 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Data analyst | ChatGPT | covers 24 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Teacher | ChatGPT | covers 40 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Executive assistant | ChatGPT | covers 41 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Logistics manager | ChatGPT | covers 41 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Procurement manager | ChatGPT | covers 24 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Secretary | ChatGPT | covers 40 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Recruiter | ChatGPT | covers 25 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit; built for this role |
| HR administrator | ChatGPT | covers 24 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit; built for this role |
| Tax consultant | ChatGPT | covers 21 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit; built for this role |
| Auditor | ChatGPT | covers 20 of this role's tasks against 1; built for this role |
| Economist | ChatGPT | covers 22 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Project manager | ChatGPT | covers 40 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Social media manager | ChatGPT | covers 40 of this role's tasks against 1; part of the role's core toolkit |
Side by side
| ChatGPT | DeepSeek | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | OpenAI | DeepSeek |
| Category | Chat assistants | Chat assistants |
| Free plan | Yes: The default model with a limited number of messages every few hours, after which it switches to a lighter model; file uploads and image generation with small limits; no Projects with large files and no full Deep Research | Yes: A free chat; at peak hours the service is slow or temporarily unavailable |
| Cheapest paid plan | Plus, $20/mo | price on request |
| Top plan | Pro, $200/mo | price on request |
| Tasks covered | 64 | 1 |
ChatGPT: All-purpose chat assistant with web search, file and spreadsheet analysis, voice and custom GPTs.
DeepSeek: Free chat with DeepSeek reasoning models that are strong in math and code.
Tasks both handle
Only ChatGPT covers
- Categorize a bank statement by cash flow line
- Write a business letter
- Analyze budget variances, actual versus plan
- Write a job ad and a job description
- Write a customer FAQ
- Write a sales proposal
- Reconcile the trial balance with the bank and source documents
- Prepare a reply to a tax authority request
Only DeepSeek covers
No unique tasks in this data
Pitfalls to watch at work
ChatGPT
- On the free and personal paid plans, chats may be used for training by default: in Settings, Data controls, turn off Improve the model for everyone before your first work task
- Employee names and tax IDs, account details, amounts and contract terms go into the chat only anonymized: replace them with [Employee 1], [Counterparty], [X]
- The model invents statute numbers, court decisions and links in a confident tone: check every such fact in the primary source
DeepSeek
- Data is stored on servers in China and accessible under Chinese law: keep out personal data, company documents, contracts and financial reports
- Answers on the war, China and politics are censored, so the service is unsuitable for such questions
- Many governments and companies have banned DeepSeek on work devices: check your company's rules before installing the app
FAQ
Is ChatGPT or DeepSeek better for work?
In our data ChatGPT is the better choice for 20 of 20 roles. The table above shows the reason for each role.
Which is cheaper, ChatGPT or DeepSeek?
ChatGPT starts at $20/mo; DeepSeek publishes no fixed price.
Do ChatGPT and DeepSeek have free plans?
ChatGPT: Yes. The default model with a limited number of messages every few hours, after which it switches to a lighter model; file uploads and image generation with small limits; no Projects with large files and no full Deep Research. DeepSeek: Yes. A free chat; at peak hours the service is slow or temporarily unavailable.
Compare ChatGPT with
- ChatGPT vs Claude
- ChatGPT vs Copilot in Word
- ChatGPT vs Gemini in Google Sheets
- ChatGPT vs NotebookLM
- ChatGPT vs Gemini
Compare DeepSeek with
- DeepSeek vs Qwen Chat
- DeepSeek vs Claude
- DeepSeek vs Microsoft 365 Copilot
- DeepSeek vs Gemini
- DeepSeek vs Kagi Assistant
Alternatives to ChatGPT · Alternatives to DeepSeek · ChatGPT pricing · DeepSeek pricing
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