Side by side
| Feature | DeepSeek | Open WebUI |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Chinese AI lab offering open-source large language models (DeepSeek-V4, R1) via a chat app, web interface and developer API. | Self-hosted AI chat interface that connects local and cloud models, with Python extensions, for individuals and organizations that want to keep control of their data. |
| Price from | 0.02 USD | not listed |
| Free plan | ? | yes |
| Platforms | web, ios, android, api | web, api, linux, windows, mac |
| API | yes | yes |
DeepSeek: key features
- Chat app and web chat interface
- Open-source models such as DeepSeek-R1 and DeepSeek-V4
- OpenAI- and Anthropic-compatible API
- JSON output and tool calls
- Thinking (reasoning) mode
- 1M-token context window on the flash model
Open WebUI: key features
- Connects to Ollama, OpenAI, Anthropic and other compatible model providers
- Local, cloud or hybrid deployment
- Retrieval over your own documents (RAG) and web search
- Python Tools and Functions for extending the platform
- Community library of prompts, models, tools and functions
- SSO, RBAC, audit logs and air-gapped deployment in enterprise options
FAQ
Is DeepSeek or Open WebUI better?
It depends on the job - compare prices, free plans and features in the table above.
Are DeepSeek and Open WebUI free?
DeepSeek: The vendor does not state this clearly on the homepage or pricing page. Open WebUI: Yes, there is a free plan. The open-source platform can be installed for free with pip or Docker, with no account required.