DeepSeek V4 Explained: Models, Pricing and Open Source
DeepSeek V4 drew attention for near top level results at low prices and an open license. It is worth understanding what it is and what it is not.
This guide covers the models, features, pricing, and limits based on published reviews.
What Is DeepSeek V4
DeepSeek V4 is a family of open weight language models from the Chinese lab DeepSeek. One review says it was released in April 2026 in two versions, Pro and Flash.
Pro vs Flash
| Model | Reported Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| V4 Pro | About 1.6 trillion total parameters, about 49 billion active | Larger, stronger model |
| V4 Flash | About 284 billion total parameters, about 13 billion active | Smaller and faster |
Key Features
- A default context window of about one million tokens
- Open weights under the MIT license according to reviews
- Several reasoning modes
- Strong results on reasoning and agent tasks
Pricing
One review lists V4 Pro API prices near $1.74 per million input tokens and $3.48 per million output tokens. Prices can change, so check the official pricing page.
Limits
The same review says V4 Pro trails the best closed models by a few months on the hardest coding and reasoning tests. Running the models yourself needs large hardware.
Privacy and Use
Check where your data is processed and your company rules before sending sensitive information to any hosted model.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is DeepSeek V4?
A family of open weight language models from DeepSeek.
Is DeepSeek V4 open source?
Reviews say the weights are released under the MIT license.
How big is the context window?
About one million tokens according to reviews.
Is it cheap?
Reviewers describe the API prices as very competitive. Check current rates.
Can I run it locally?
Only with very large hardware for the biggest model. Smaller setups may use the Flash model.
Final Verdict
DeepSeek V4 is a serious open model with strong value. Test it on your own tasks and review data handling before you rely on it.
