DeepSeek Adjusts API Pricing for Weekends and National Holidays
Technology firm DeepSeek has announced a change in its API pricing structure, classifying weekends and Chinese national holidays under the lower-cost 'off-peak' usage tier. This adjustment aims to provide users with more cost-effective options.
Technology company DeepSeek has updated its API pricing policy, designating weekends and China's national holidays as off-peak hours for billing purposes. The change, which took effect in August, means that API calls made during these times will be charged at a lower rate.
DeepSeek stated that the adjustment is intended to better align pricing with customer usage patterns. By offering a reduced rate during weekends and official holidays, the company seeks to make its advanced AI services more accessible and affordable for users who operate or utilize the services outside of typical business hours.
The new policy specifically impacts periods of extended leave, such as the adjusted work weekends and national holidays in China. For example, during China's National Day holiday in 2026, which spans seven days with adjusted workdays before and after, API usage will fall under the off-peak pricing.
DeepSeek's offerings include models like DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash and DeepSeek-V4-Pro-0813, which support features such as JSON output, tool calls, and large context windows. This revised pricing structure is expected to benefit a wider range of developers and businesses utilizing these AI capabilities.