DeepSeek vs HAI by HCloud: Token Pricing, Speed & Intelligence
Full comparison of DeepSeek and HAI by HCloud — live token pricing, latency, throughput, context window, strengths, weaknesses, and best use cases. Rates sourced from public APIs — verify before use.
DeepSeek
DeepSeek V4 Pro and V4.1-Flash — 1M context, open-weight, peak/off-peak pricing
DeepSeek's September 2026 API offers two models: DeepSeek V4 Pro (deepseek-v4-pro-0813, frontier) and DeepSeek V4.1-Flash (deepseek-flash, efficient). Peak hours (01:00–10:00 UTC weekdays) are 2× the off-peak rate. Both models support 1M token context, JSON output, tool calls, and the Anthropic API format.
HAI by HCloud
Japan-based inference — zero data retention, JPY pricing, TEE-secured Kimi K3
HAI is HCloud's LLM inference platform based in Japan, offering DeepSeek, GLM-5.3, Kimi K3, and Gemma 4 models with a zero data retention policy. Prices are in JPY per 1M tokens, tax included. The Kimi K3 (TEE) variant runs in a Trusted Execution Environment for confidential inference. Suited for Japanese enterprises and APAC workloads requiring data residency.
Key metric comparison
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Live token pricing
Strengths and weaknesses
DeepSeek
HAI by HCloud
Key differentiators
DeepSeek V4 Pro delivers frontier-class intelligence at competitive off-peak rates — open-weight, 1M context, and compatible with both OpenAI and Anthropic SDKs.
Japan-based inference with zero data retention and a TEE-secured Kimi K3 variant for confidential workloads.
Frequently asked questions
DeepSeek FAQs
What are the latest DeepSeek models?
DeepSeek's September 2026 API offers DeepSeek V4 Pro (deepseek-v4-pro-0813) and DeepSeek V4.1-Flash (deepseek-flash). Both support 1M token context windows, JSON output, tool calls, and the Anthropic API format.
What is DeepSeek V4 Pro pricing?
DeepSeek V4 Pro uses peak/off-peak pricing — off-peak rates apply on weekends and Chinese public holidays; peak hours (01:00–10:00 UTC weekdays) are 2× the off-peak rate. Cache hits are billed at a reduced rate. Check api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/pricing for current rates.
What is DeepSeek V4.1-Flash pricing?
DeepSeek V4.1-Flash uses the same peak/off-peak structure as V4 Pro, with off-peak rates significantly cheaper than peak. It also supports vision inputs. Check api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/pricing for current rates.
HAI by HCloud FAQs
What is HAI by HCloud?
HAI is HCloud's LLM inference API based in Japan. It offers DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, GLM-5.3, Kimi K3 (TEE), and Gemma 4 31B with a zero data retention policy and JPY pricing. See hai.hcloud.ltd/pricing for current rates.
What is the Kimi K3 TEE variant?
The Kimi K3 (TEE) variant runs inside a Trusted Execution Environment, providing hardware-level isolation for confidential inference. This is suited for workloads where prompt and response data must not be accessible to the infrastructure operator.
Does HAI retain my data?
No. HAI operates a zero data retention policy — prompts and responses are not stored after the request completes.
Provider resources
DeepSeek — DeepSeek V4 Pro and V4.1-Flash — 1M context, open-weight, peak/off-peak pricing
DeepSeek's September 2026 API offers two models: DeepSeek V4 Pro (deepseek-v4-pro-0813, frontier) and DeepSeek V4.1-Flash (deepseek-flash, efficient). Peak hours (01:00–10:00 UTC weekdays) are 2× the off-peak rate. Both models support 1M token context, JSON output, tool calls, and the Anthropic API format.
DeepSeek V4 Pro delivers frontier-class intelligence at competitive off-peak rates — open-weight, 1M context, and compatible with both OpenAI and Anthropic SDKs.
HAI by HCloud — Japan-based inference — zero data retention, JPY pricing, TEE-secured Kimi K3
HAI is HCloud's LLM inference platform based in Japan, offering DeepSeek, GLM-5.3, Kimi K3, and Gemma 4 models with a zero data retention policy. Prices are in JPY per 1M tokens, tax included. The Kimi K3 (TEE) variant runs in a Trusted Execution Environment for confidential inference. Suited for Japanese enterprises and APAC workloads requiring data residency.
Japan-based inference with zero data retention and a TEE-secured Kimi K3 variant for confidential workloads.
Key strengths compared
DeepSeek
- V4 Pro off-peak: competitive per-1M pricing — frontier intelligence at a fraction of Western provider cost
- V4.1-Flash off-peak: fast and cost-efficient — cheapest DeepSeek model tier
- Both models open-weight — can be self-hosted
- Data residency in China — may not meet GDPR/compliance requirements
- API reliability can lag Western providers during peak demand
HAI by HCloud
- Zero data retention policy — suitable for privacy-sensitive workloads
- Japan-based infrastructure — low latency for APAC users
- TEE-secured Kimi K3 variant for confidential inference
- JPY pricing excluded from USD cross-provider comparisons
- Smaller catalog vs global inference hubs
Key weaknesses compared
DeepSeek
- Data residency in China — may not meet GDPR/compliance requirements
- API reliability can lag Western providers during peak demand
- V4.1-Flash does not support vision inputs
HAI by HCloud
- JPY pricing excluded from USD cross-provider comparisons
- Smaller catalog vs global inference hubs
- Newer provider — limited third-party benchmark transparency
Provider category context
DeepSeek is a frontier lab, founded in 2023. HAI by HCloud is a inference api, founded in 2024. DeepSeek as a frontier lab trains and serves its own proprietary models. HAI by HCloud as an inference API provider hosts open-weight models — typically offering lower prices for equivalent capability tiers but without access to proprietary frontier models.
How to choose between them
Choose DeepSeek if you need v4 pro off-peak: competitive per-1m pricing — frontier intelligence at a fraction of western provider cost. Choose HAI by HCloud if you need Privacy-sensitive workloads. For high-volume production workloads, run a cost comparison using the token pricing table above with your actual prompt/completion token ratio — the cheapest provider depends heavily on your input-to-output token ratio.