Quick setup
Open the kRouter dashboard at http://localhost:20128
Go to Providers → click DeepSeek
Paste your API key, click Save
Test the connection
Use in your IDE
Point any OpenAI-compatible client at kRouter using your local API key.
# Endpoint
http://localhost:20128/v1
# API key (from Dashboard → API Keys)
sk-krouter-XXXX
# Model
deepseek/deepseek-v3.2How DeepSeek billing works with kRouter
DeepSeek is pay-per-token. You bring your own API key and kRouter routes to it, so you keep your own rate limits and billing relationship. kRouter authenticates it via apikey. 6 models are routable as deepseek/<model>.
Through kRouter, DeepSeek serves chat and code completion. Requests reach it through the same local OpenAI-compatible endpoint as every other provider, so switching to or from DeepSeek is a one-line model change in your client rather than a rewrite.
DeepSeek models & pricing
Prices are USD per 1M tokens, cheapest first. kRouter bills nothing on top; this is the provider's own rate.
| Model | Route as | Input /1M | Output /1M |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeepSeek V4 Pro Max | deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro-max | $0.14 | $0.28 |
| DeepSeek V4 Pro No Thinking | deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro-none | $0.14 | $0.28 |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash | deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash | $0.14 | $0.28 |
| DeepSeek V3.2 Chat | deepseek/deepseek-chat | $0.14 | $0.28 |
| DeepSeek V3.2 Reasoner | deepseek/deepseek-reasoner | $0.14 | $0.28 |
| DeepSeek V4 Pro | deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro | $0.43 | $0.87 |
DeepSeek links
DeepSeek FAQ
Is DeepSeek free through kRouter?
DeepSeek is pay-per-token: you bring your own API key and are billed by DeepSeek at their rates. kRouter adds nothing on top and is free and MIT-licensed.
How do I use DeepSeek with Claude Code or Cursor?
Connect DeepSeek in the kRouter dashboard, then point your tool at kRouter's local endpoint (http://localhost:20128/v1) with a kRouter API key. Any OpenAI-compatible client works, and models are addressed as deepseek/<model>.
Which DeepSeek models can kRouter route to?
6 models, including DeepSeek V4 Pro, DeepSeek V4 Pro Max, DeepSeek V4 Pro No Thinking. Every one is addressed as deepseek/<model> from any client.
What happens when DeepSeek is rate limited?
kRouter detects the limit, parks that account until its real reset time, and fails over to your next connected account or provider — so the request still completes instead of erroring.