DeepSeek vs ChatGPT: Free Chat, APIs, and When to Pick Each
Compare DeepSeek and ChatGPT on product shape: free DeepSeek chat, pay-per-token DeepSeek API, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT stack—without invented prices for ChatGPT.
Journal
Field notes from shipping software.
WordPress, Android, SEO and the business of getting online — written from production, not theory.
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What Is DeepSeek? Models, Chat, and API in 2026
DeepSeek runs free consumer chat and a separate pay-per-token API with V4.1 Flash and V4 Pro as the current model names in this brief.
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Using ChatGPT and Cursor Together
Plan in ChatGPT, apply in Cursor. Separate bills, clear handoffs, and review every workspace diff.
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ChatGPT for PHP Development
Paste PHP version, failing code, and errors into ChatGPT. Verify against your framework docs before shipping.
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ChatGPT Projects for a Codebase
Use ChatGPT projects to store durable notes and snippets. They still do not replace an editor that reads the repo.
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ChatGPT for Writing Tests
Paste the function and behavior cases into ChatGPT. Ask for tests you can run, then delete weak assertions.
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ChatGPT Data Privacy for Code
Treat ChatGPT pastes as leaving your laptop. Redact secrets, follow policy, and prefer approved tools for private repos.
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ChatGPT for API Design
Use ChatGPT to draft API shapes from constraints. Validate with examples, error cases, and your real consumers.
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ChatGPT vs Cursor Agent for Coding
ChatGPT plans in chat. Cursor Agent can act in the workspace. Use both with clear handoffs and review.
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ChatGPT for Refactoring Code
Plan refactors in ChatGPT with clear constraints, then apply multi-file edits in an editor that reads the repo.
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