DeepSeek has officially announced a revision of pricing for its DeepSeek V4 model family, including the Flash and Pro versions. The new pricing system will take effect on August 16, 2026, at 16:00 UTC.
Under the updated rules, DeepSeek is moving to a differentiated tariff model, where the cost of requests will depend on the time of day. During peak load periods, prices double, while during off-peak hours they drop to half of the peak rates. The company recommends that users plan their tasks with the new time intervals in mind to optimize costs.
Peak hours are defined as 01:00–04:00 UTC and 06:00–10:00 UTC. All other hours are considered off-peak.
DeepSeek emphasizes that continued use of the API after the new tariffs take effect will be considered acceptance of the updated terms. Users who do not agree with the changes can cancel the service and request a refund.
