DeepSeek stunned the AI and app worlds with its recent U.S. launch, racking up 2M downloads (and counting) within days. To go beyond the download numbers, we wanted to know what those who’ve installed the unexpected contender for the core model crown have to say about their experience. So, we took a deep dive into their reviews to find out and compared them with ChatGPT, the segment leader, to see how the newcomer stacks up.
So far, sentiment is overwhelmingly positive for both apps. 83% of DeepSeek’s reviews express a good experience, while ChatGPT edges past it at 89%. That’s a solid start for DeepSeek and reinforces it being a real contender.
DeepSeek also gets high marks for ease of use and speed, with 29% of its positive reviews mentioning usability, compared to 23% for ChatGPT. Performance is another highlight; 21% of users praise its speed, versus 15% for OpenAI’s app.
ChatGPT, meanwhile, leads in helpfulness (36% vs. 31%) and creativity (17% vs. 10%). Accuracy is evenly matched, with 9% of positive reviews praising both apps in this area.
What’s not working? For DeepSeek, censorship and privacy concerns are the biggest drawbacks, called out in 37% of its negative reviews. Many users report frustration over restricted content, likely due to the app’s Chinese origins, and some are wary of privacy risks tied to its China-based servers.
For ChatGPT, the top complaint is pricing. At $20/month for Plus and $200/month for Pro, many users feel it’s too expensive. In contrast, DeepSeek’s free access is a huge draw. 14% of its positive reviews actually mention switching from ChatGPT to save money.
Pricing-related frustration with ChatGPT is only growing. In January 2024, cost was a concern in 9% of all ChatGPT reviews and 21% of negative ones. By January 2025, that jumped to 14% of all reviews and 30% of negative ones, equating to 1 in 7 ChatGPT reviews mentioning pricing as an issue.
Other standout issues for DeepSeek users include login troubles — reported by 20% of its negative reviews, compared to 12% for ChatGPT — and speed complaints, which show up twice as often for DeepSeek (20% vs. 10%).
Despite its cost concerns, ChatGPT remains the dominant player, but DeepSeek’s rapid rise as a free alternative signals real competition ahead.
Check out Rise of AI Apps: Key Trends to Watch in 2025 for more about insights about the AI app market.
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