DeepSeek has already made its name in the list of top AI models. Thanks to the recent launch of its V3 model, followed by the even better, R1 model. While it’s growing to be our go-to AI chatbot on our laptops, does it also hold power on our mobile phones? Let’s find out by comparing it with one of the first and most recognized AI chatbot mobile apps – ChatGPT. In this comparison of DeepSeek vs ChatGPT, we will explore the features and capabilities of both their mobile apps and find out which one’s better.
Table of Contents
What is DeepSeek Mobile App?
The DeepSeek mobile app is an AI-powered platform, aimed at providing conversational AI solutions. It is powered by the DeepSeek V3 model by default, and provides an option to use DeepSeek’s most powerful, R1 model. It also has a web search option, allowing users to get up-to-date information from the internet, directly within the chat interface.
Here are some of its key features:
- Multiple File Analysis: The DeepSeek mobile app lets users upload multiple files within the same prompt. It is capable of parsing, analyzing, and interpreting multiple documents, images, and
- Image OCR: DeepSeek’s mobile app can read text from uploaded images as well as photos taken directly on camera. The interface specifically mentions them as input options.
- Explainable AI: DeepSeek explains its thought process while generating a response on its mobile app. This provides transparency and makes it easier for the user to understand the logic behind the response.
You can download the DeepSeek mobile app from the Play Store or App Store, where it is currently ranking #1 under free apps for productivity, overtaking ChatGPT.
DeepSeek vs ChatGPT: Mobile App Interface Comparison
Since we are comparing mobile apps, let’s first check out their interfaces.
As you can see above, they both offer clean, simple, user-friendly interfaces. DeepSeek, while opting for a minimalist design, gives its users the option of selecting the R1 model instead of the default V3, right below the input box. Meanwhile, ChatGPT lists out some of its most common, everyday use cases, encouraging users to get started. It also shows the different types of inputs it takes and has a designated button for Advanced Voice Mode.
Let’s move on to the features of both the apps.
DeepSeek vs ChatGPT: Mobile App Feature Comparison
| Feature | DeepSeek | ChatGPT (Free Version) |
| Developer | DeepSeek (China) | OpenAI (USA) |
| Models Available | DeepSeek V3, DeepSeek-R1 | GPT-4 Turbo |
| Cost | Free to use without any limits | Free to use within limits |
| Multilingual Support | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Input | No | Yes |
| Multiple File Upload | Yes, up to 50 files of 100MB each. | Yes, up to 3 files/day |
| Image Generation | No | Yes, up to 10 images/day |
DeepSeek App vs ChatGPT App: Application Comparison
Now, let’s compare the capabilities of the DeepSeek and ChatGPT mobile apps and find out which one is better for what task. For this comparison, we’ll be giving the same prompt to both the chatbots for common tasks they can both do. We will then compare the responses and find out who wins the DeepSeek vs ChatGPT battle in mobile apps! To make it a fair comparison, we’ll be using the DeepSeek V3 on the DeepSeek app against ChatGPT’s GPT-4 Turbo. So, let’s begin.
Task 1: Content Summarizing
Imagine you are doing some research on your phone and come across a bunch of research papers, reports, etc. Now, how much time would it save you if these AI chatbots could just read through them all and summarize the content for you? Well, in this task, we’re going to test the content summarizing skills of DeepSeek and ChatGPT on the phone. I’m going to upload Portal26’s State of Generative AI Survey Report and ask both the chatbots to summarize it.
Prompt: “Summarize this document in 100 words.”
Output:
| DeepSeek Mobile App | ChatGPT Mobile App |
| The 2023 Portal26 Research Report highlights the dual optimism and concern surrounding Generative AI (GenAI) adoption. While 82% of respondents believe GenAI offers a competitive advantage, 85% worry about privacy and security risks. Key concerns include data privacy, governance, IP protection, and Shadow AI. Despite 84% of companies investing in GenAI, 58% provide less than five hours of annual employee training. Larger companies and regulated industries express heightened concerns, with 100% of firms over 10,000 employees citing data security as a major issue. The report emphasizes the need for robust policies, training, and real-time visibility to responsibly harness GenAI’s potential. | The Portal26 State of Generative AI 2023 report surveys 400+ C-suite and tech leaders across 12 industries, revealing optimism and concerns about AI adoption. 82% believe AI offers a competitive edge, but 85% worry about security risks. While 84% invest in AI, 73% report misuse incidents. Companies prioritize governance, with 80% instituting AI policies. Large enterprises face greater risks, especially data security (100%) and Shadow AI (88%). Training gaps persist, as 58% provide under five hours of AI education. Industries like legal (100%), education (83%), and finance (81%) report high concerns over security, bias, and compliance. |
Comparative Analysis:
Both the apps gave out similar responses mentioning the statistics correctly. However, DeepSeek’s summary was more analytical, highlighting the key concerns and ways to mitigate them. ChatGPT’s response was more concise, but merely factual, in comparison. Hence, my vote goes to DeepSeek’s mobile app.
Score: DeepSeek Mobile App: 1 | ChatGPT Mobile App: 0
Task 2: Web Search
Let’s say you want to find events happening in your city this weekend, or want the review of a movie – you can find it in real-time through web search on these mobile apps. For instance, let’s see if they can help me find restaurants in my city where I can try some Kashmiri food.
Prompt: “Where can I get authentic Kashmiri food in Gurgaon?”
Output:
Comparative Analysis:
Both the apps were able to search the internet and provide up-to-date responses. While DeepSeek’s mobile app listed out 7 options, it only mentioned the area and not the exact location of the restaurants. In comparison, ChatGPT’s response, although had only 6 options, came with external links to their exact locations on Google Maps. So my choice for web search is ChatGPT’s mobile app.
Score: DeepSeek Mobile App: 1 | ChatGPT Mobile App: 1
Task 3: Image Analysis (OCR)
DeepSeek currently has only one image analysis feature, which is OCR or Optical Character Recognition. While AI chatbots with image analysis features can generally read printed text, the real test is if they can read and understand handwritten notes and diagrams. I’m going to find out how well DeepSeek and ChatGPT mobile apps can do that.
Prompt: “Read what is written in the image and do as it says.”
Output:
Comparative Analysis:
While DeepSeek boasts of OCR as one of its key features, it surely is incapable of reading handwritten text accurately. It mistook the content for a poem and then a riddle, explaining the entire thought process – which was all over the place. It completely ignored the hand-drawn diagram as well. On the other hand, ChatGPT did an excellent job at reading the text correctly and answering the questions. It was even able to identify and explain the diagram as well.
Score: DeepSeek Mobile App: 1 | ChatGPT Mobile App: 2
Final Score: DeepSeek Mobile App: 1 | ChatGPT Mobile App: 2
Comparison Summary
Here’s a summary of the capabilities of DeepSeek and ChatGPT mobile apps.
| Application | DeepSeek Mobile App | ChatGPT Mobile App |
| Content Summarizing | Analyzes content and gives a more well-rounded summary. | Summarizes content without much analysis. |
| Web Searching | Gives faster web-searched results, but without direct links. | More extensive web-searched responses with direct links to websites and apps. |
| Integration with External Apps | Very limited integration with external apps. | Well integrated with other mobile apps such as Google Maps and YouTube. |
| Image Analysis with OCR | Only OCR and translation of printed (or non-handwritten) text in English. | Understands, analyzes, and contextually responds to image inputs, even with multilingual text. |
Conclusion
As we have seen in this article, both DeepSeek and ChatGPT mobile apps have their own strengths and weaknesses. While DeepSeek enables multiple file uploads and offers transparency in its responses, ChatGPT provides a more seamless experience in web search, thanks to its extensive integration with external apps.
However, DeepSeek does offer an almost unlimited free-tier experience, while ChatGPT’s mobile app has limitations on free usage. The way DeepSeek and other Chinese AI companies have been coming up with launches and updates lately, we hope to soon see DeepSeek’s mobile app giving ChatGPT a run for its money!
Hop on to the bandwagon and learn all about DeepSeek today with this free course from Analytics Vidhya!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is the DeepSeek mobile app free to use?
A. Yes, the DeepSeek mobile app is free to use without any usage limits, unlike ChatGPT’s free version, which has some restrictions.
Q2. Does DeepSeek support voice input?
No, the DeepSeek mobile app does not support voice input, whereas ChatGPT allows users to interact using voice commands.
Q3. Can DeepSeek generate images?
A. No, as of now DeepSeek does not have image generation capabilities. However, this feature might get added soon.
Q4. Can I use ChatGPT’s mobile app for free?
A. Yes, ChatGPT’s mobile app is available for free, but with certain limitations. Free users can generate up to 10 images and upload up to 3 files per day.
Q5. Which app has better web search capabilities?
A. ChatGPT performs better in web search as it provides more extensive responses with direct links to relevant websites and apps, whereas DeepSeek gives a broader list without direct links.
Q6. Can DeepSeek analyze images?
A. Currently, DeepSeek’s mobile app only offers OCR and translation features for text in images. ChatGPT, however, can analyze images more contextually, including handwritten text and diagrams.
Q7. Does DeepSeek mobile app integrate with external apps?
A. No, as of now, DeepSeek has limited external integrations. ChatGPT, on the other hand, integrates well with apps like Google Maps and YouTube for enhanced usability.
Sabreena Basheer is an architect-turned-writer who's passionate about documenting anything that interests her. She's currently exploring the world of AI and Data Science as a Content Manager at Analytics Vidhya.
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