Claude suits businesses that want a free assistant with web search, file creation, memory and connections to their own apps, with model training you can opt out of. DeepSeek suits people who want a fast chat model and an API, but its privacy policy says it stores your personal data in the People's Republic of China. Read that line before you paste anything about clients.
Plenty of people try DeepSeek because it's quick to open, then wonder how it stacks up against Claude. I read DeepSeek's site and its privacy policy, and Anthropic's Claude plans page, so the facts below are each company's own.
DeepSeek and Claude compared
| DeepSeek | Claude | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Not stated on the pages I read | Yes, Free ("Free for everyone") |
| Where personal data is stored | People's Republic of China, per its privacy policy | Not stated on the plans page |
| Newest model named | DeepSeek V4.1 Flash | Sonnet and Haiku on Free; Opus from Pro |
| Thinking and search | DeepThink and Search modes | Web search on Free; Research from Pro |
| Context window | Not stated on the pages I read | Up to 1M, varies by model |
| Coding | DeepSeek Harness and an API | Claude Code from Pro |
| Model training on your chats | Not covered on the pages I read | Opt-out on Free, Pro and Max |
| Apps | Web, app and desktop | Web, desktop, iOS and Android |
What DeepSeek offers
DeepSeek's homepage leads with its latest model, V4.1 Flash, updated to a version it says handles project work faster. You can chat on the web or in its app, switch on DeepThink for step-by-step reasoning or Search for live results, and developers get an API that now supports web search and fetch, plus a tool called DeepSeek Harness.
The service is run by Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., Ltd., with its registered address in China. Its research list runs from R1 through V3, V3.2, V4 and V4.1.
What Claude offers
Claude's Free plan is described as free for everyone. It covers chat on web, desktop and mobile, web search, creating files and running code, memory across conversations, connecting your apps and tools, Artifacts, and Claude Design, Slides and Docs. You can keep up to 5 projects and use voice mode and incognito chats.
Pro adds more usage, Claude Code, Research, more models including Opus, and Claude in Chrome and Microsoft 365. Max raises usage to five or twenty times Pro. Team serves groups of 2 to 150, and the page notes that Claude Cowork is now just Claude.
The privacy line to read before you start
Here's the sentence I'd read first. DeepSeek's privacy policy says it directly collects, processes and stores your personal data in the People's Republic of China. If you paste in client names, contracts or customer data, that's where the policy says it goes.
Claude's plans page lists model training as opt-out on Free, Pro and Max, and says Team and Enterprise don't train on your content by default. Neither fact makes either tool right or wrong for you, but you should know both before you share anything sensitive.
Who each assistant suits
DeepSeek suits people exploring AI for personal projects and developers who want its API. Claude suits small businesses that want to connect their tools, write and analyse files, and keep tighter control of training settings. If you record client calls, the same question applies to AI notetakers and client data privacy, and my beginner's guide to building AI agents with Claude shows what Claude can do beyond chat.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
My advice for client work
Sort your tasks into two piles: work with nothing sensitive in it, and work that names clients or customers. For the first pile, try both and keep whichever answers better. For the second, read each privacy policy first, and if DeepSeek's storage in China is a problem for your clients or your contracts, keep that work in Claude with training switched off.
Do you make AI assistants or chatbots? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Where does DeepSeek store my data?
DeepSeek's privacy policy says it directly collects, processes and stores your personal data in the People's Republic of China.
Is Claude free?
Yes. Claude's Free plan is described as free for everyone, with web search, file creation, memory and connectors.
Can I stop Claude training on my chats?
Claude's plans page lists model training as opt-out on Free, Pro and Max. Team and Enterprise don't train on your content by default.
What is DeepThink in DeepSeek?
DeepThink is a mode on DeepSeek's chat that works through a question step by step, alongside a Search mode for live results.
Which Claude models are on the free plan?
Claude's plans page lists Sonnet and Haiku on Free. Opus starts on Pro.
