TLDR
- DeepSeek is offering a 75% discount on its new V4-Pro model until May 5, 2026
- Input cache hit prices across its entire API have been cut to one-tenth of original prices
- V4-Pro comes in two versions: Pro and a lighter Flash variant
- The model was adapted for Huawei chip technology and outperforms other open-source models in world-knowledge benchmarks
- The price cuts are part of a broader AI price war intensifying between Chinese and Western AI companies
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has cut the price of its newly released V4-Pro model by 75%, as competition between AI companies in China and the West continues to heat up.
DeepSeek cut prices on its new V4-Pro model by 75% through May 5, with output pricing falling to $0.87 from $3.48 and cache-miss input costs dropping to $0.435 from $1.74. pic.twitter.com/svdJUE9axm
— Wall St Engine (@wallstengine) April 27, 2026
The Hangzhou-based company launched the discounted pricing for developers last week. The promotion runs until May 5, 2026, at 15:59 UTC.
Under the deal, input costs for cache misses dropped to $0.435 from $1.74. Cache hits fell to $0.03625 from $0.145, and output pricing dropped to $0.87 from $3.48.
DeepSeek also cut input cache hit prices across its entire API lineup to one-tenth of their original cost. The company said the change takes effect immediately and will lower costs for users who send similar or repeated requests.
The V4-Pro model was released after months of anticipation. It was adapted for Huawei chip technology, which is relevant given that US export restrictions have limited Chinese companies’ access to American chips.
Two Versions, One Goal
The V4 model comes in two versions. The Pro version is more powerful and was priced higher before the discount. The Flash version is lighter and cheaper.
DeepSeek says the Pro version outperforms other open-source models in world-knowledge benchmarks. It trails only Google’s closed-source Gemini-Pro-3.1 in those tests.
The company says the V4 models are built for AI agent work. These are systems that can handle more complex tasks than standard chatbots, though they require more computing power.
The discount follows the earlier launch of DeepSeek’s R1 model, which triggered price-based competition across the AI industry when it was released last year.
A Broader Price War
Many AI companies are now moving from early testing to real-world use of large language models. Lowering inference and usage costs has become a key way for companies to stay competitive.
DeepSeek’s cuts are expected to push rivals to reduce prices too, especially in China, where companies are building alternatives to Western technologies.
US tech restrictions have played a part in this shift, speeding up the development of local AI ecosystems in China.
OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google have all been releasing new models rapidly. Access to those platforms can be expensive, which gives DeepSeek’s lower pricing a competitive edge.
The 75% discount on V4-Pro remains in place until May 5. The broader API price reductions across DeepSeek’s model lineup are already active.
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