DeepSeek puts its chat app's search, file reading and voice into the API

• Web search: with thinking off and the deepseek_web_search tool on, the model searches the web or images and answers with citations.
• Deep thinking search: with thinking on, the model searches and reads pages over several reasoning steps.
• File input: PDFs, Word, PowerPoint and image files are parsed into the conversation.
• URL reading: with deepseek_read_url on, the model fetches links in the user's message.
• Safety checks: inputs and outputs are screened, and a refusal marker comes back when a risk is found.
• Search, fetch, OCR, speech to text and text to speech are also sold as standalone APIs.

DeepSeek also released an open-source demo chat client (opens in a new tab) (MIT license) that can import chat history exported from DeepSeek Chat. DeepSeek says the demo keeps your API key, chats and uploaded images in your browser, and that it is "for demonstration only."

What it costs. These tools are billed on top of normal token charges. DeepSeek's pricing page (opens in a new tab) lists, as of Nov. 13:

• Search (text or image) and web fetch: $0.75 per 1,000 uses each.
• File parsing and OCR: $0.225 per 1,000 pages.
• Text to speech: $0.45 per 10,000 characters, at a limited-time 50% off price of $0.225.
• Speech to text: $0.116 per hour of audio, at a limited-time 50% off price of $0.058.

DeepSeek says its prices may change.

Who it's for. Developers who want search with citations, file reading and voice in their own chat app without wiring up separate search, OCR and speech vendors.

The caveats.

• DeepSeek says public-facing apps must turn on safety checks, and developers are still responsible for content moderation, applicable model registration and AI-generated content labeling.
• The built-in tools run on deepseek-flash. When they're on, DeepSeek's service sets some parameters itself, such as temperature, and ignores the values you send.
• Every search, fetch and parsed page adds a per-use fee to your bill.

Disclosure: Not tested by MODEL. Not sponsored. No affiliate links.

MODEL Editors