Provider Comparison · 2 Shared Models
DeepSeek vs Openrouter
Green highlights mark broader sourced coverage or lower directly comparable prices. They do not imply independently measured performance.
Routing Surface
Side-by-Side Provider Facts
| Field | DeepSeek | Openrouter |
|---|---|---|
| Routing mode | direct | gateway |
| API protocol | openai | openai |
| API base URL | https://api.deepseek.com | https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 |
| Route-ready models | 4 | 111 |
| Tracked model offerings | 4 | 94 |
| Lowest input / 1M | $0.15 | $0.018 |
| Lowest output / 1M | $0.60 | $0.080 |
| Service tiers | Standard | Standard |
| Regions | Unknown | Global |
8 comparable fields · 6 material differences · Interactive only until provider-comparison indexing and telemetry gates are defined
DeepSeek Route Contract
https://api.deepseek.comOpenrouter Route Contract
https://openrouter.ai/api/v1Common Coverage
Models Offered by Both Providers
| Model | Canonical ID | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| DeepSeek V4 Flash | deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4-Flash | Available from both provider routes |
| DeepSeek V4 Pro | deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4-Pro | Available from both provider routes |
Provider Evidence
Sources and Freshness
Questions
DeepSeek vs Openrouter FAQs
Is DeepSeek or Openrouter cheaper for inference?+
The lowest sourced input prices are $0.15 for DeepSeek and $0.018 for Openrouter, favoring Openrouter. Lowest output prices are $0.60 and $0.080, favoring Openrouter. These minima may refer to different models or tiers.
Which offers more route-ready models, DeepSeek or Openrouter?+
DeepSeek has 4 route-ready models and Openrouter has 111, so Openrouter has broader current route-ready coverage.
Do DeepSeek and Openrouter offer the same models?+
They currently share 2 tracked models, including DeepSeek V4 Flash and DeepSeek V4 Pro.
Can I use the same API protocol with DeepSeek and Openrouter?+
Both are currently documented with the openai API protocol, although base URLs, model IDs, and authentication still differ.
Should I choose DeepSeek or Openrouter?+
Choose based on the exact model route, price observation, protocol, regions, and service tier you need. The green highlights identify lower sourced minima or broader documented coverage; they do not measure latency, reliability, or output quality.
Which lists more AI models, DeepSeek or Openrouter?+
DeepSeek lists 4 tracked models; Openrouter lists 94, so Openrouter has the larger catalog. Catalog size is separate from route readiness.
Is DeepSeek or Openrouter a gateway?+
DeepSeek is recorded as a direct route; Openrouter is recorded as a gateway. Gateways aggregate model routes, while direct providers serve their own endpoint surface.
Can I switch between DeepSeek and Openrouter without changing model IDs?+
Do not assume model IDs are portable. Even with 2 shared tracked models, base URLs, authentication, provider-specific identifiers, tiers, and request features can differ.
Are DeepSeek and Openrouter prices directly comparable?+
Only at the exact model, tier, region, and token type. The headline minima above can come from different models or service tiers, so they are useful discovery signals rather than an apples-to-apples bill estimate.
How current is the DeepSeek vs Openrouter comparison?+
DeepSeek was last observed Sep 10, 2026 and Openrouter Oct 19, 2026. The source register below identifies the records behind the comparison.