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Key guide · DeepSeek · verified Sep 26, 2026

How to get a DeepSeek API key from the DeepSeek Platform

Under ten minutes. Make a DeepSeek Platform account (the same login as the DeepSeek chat app), add $2 of prepaid credit, and create a key. The API has no free tier, but it's cheap: $2 runs over a thousand everyday answers. You pay DeepSeek directly at their prices. PolyCog adds nothing.

The short version: platform.deepseek.com, Sign up (email + an emailed 6-digit code, or Log in with Google), Top up (USD, $2 pre-picked, tax on top; PayPal, card or Google Pay; prepaid only, no auto top-up, no spend cap), the USD balance alert on Usage, API keys › Create new API key (sk-, shown once), paste, test.

Never made an API key? Stay here. Every click is spelled out. Condensed steps, direct links, scopes and tier details.

What you need

  • An email address or a Google account
  • A card, PayPal or Google Pay (the smallest top-up is $2, plus tax)
  • A free PolyCog account to save the key in
  • Under ten minutes

The DeepSeek app is free. The API isn't.

Chatting at chat.deepseek.com costs nothing, but apps like PolyCog use the DeepSeek API, which runs on prepaid credit. DeepSeek's own Top up page says so: "The recharge amount is solely for API service usage. Conversations on the web version and app are free and do not require any recharge."

The steps

Tick each circle as you finish a step. Your ticks stay in this browser, so you can close the tab and pick up where you left off.

Make a DeepSeek Platform account

2 min

Go to platform.deepseek.com. New here? Choose Sign up, just above the black Log in button. Type your email and a password (twice), then choose Send code. DeepSeek emails you a 6-digit code; type it into the Code box and choose Sign up. Or skip all that with Log in with Google, under Log in. Already use the DeepSeek chat app? It's the same account, so just log in. Either way you land on Usage, with a balance of $0.00.

Email address
yours (some countries can only sign up by email)
Password, Confirm password
the same password twice
Code
Send code, then the 6 digits from "Your verification code for DeepSeek"
Illustrationplatform.deepseek.com/sign_in (simplified)
The official version of DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash has been released… Click for details. ▤ API Docs deepseekPlatform Phone number / email address Password By signing up or logging in, you consent to DeepSeek's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Forgot password?Sign up Log in Log in with Google
Select the pictures that match the prompt ▲●■◆▲●■◆▲ ENSkip
A verification code has been sent to [email protected].
1/6New here? Choose Sign up
  • A picture puzzle may pop up after Send code or Log in with Google, sometimes two rounds. Skip swaps it for a different one.
  • No code? Check your spam folder. You can ask for another after a minute ("Resend after 59s"), and a code stays valid for 5 days.
  • DeepSeek Platform is DeepSeek's site for developers. It shares its login with the chat app at chat.deepseek.com, but only the Platform sells API credit.
  • You must be 18 or older.
  • platform.deepseek.com › Sign up (/sign_up): email only in some regions ("Only email registration is supported in your region"), password twice, an emailed 6-digit code (valid 5 days, resend after 60 s), a picture captcha. Or Log in with Google (captcha, account chooser, Continue). One account for the Platform and chat.deepseek.com. Lands on /usage with a topped-up balance of $0.00.
Open the sign-up page ↗

Add credit

Required3 min

Top up is in the left menu (the black Top up button on Usage goes there too). Leave USD selected. $2, the smallest amount, is already picked. Tax is added on top and shown before you pay. Keep PayPal / Debit or Credit Card and choose Next step, then Debit or Credit Card to pay by card without a PayPal account (or the PayPal button if you have one). Fill in the form that opens and choose Pay.

Currency
USD (already picked)
Amount
$2 (already picked; tax is added)
Payment method
PayPal / Debit or Credit Card (already picked), then Next step
Card
Debit or Credit Card, fill in the form that opens, Pay (no PayPal account needed)
Payment successful
Done
Illustrationplatform.deepseek.com › Top up (simplified)
deepseekPlatformUsageAPI keysTop upBillingDocsHelp & FeedbackPricingChat for freeAProfile
Top up USDCNY Amount $2$5$10$20$50$100$500Custom Total$2.12Total excluding tax $2.00 + VAT(6%) $0.12 DeepSeek API Peak/Off-Peak Hours Notice: Weekends … are all billed at off-peak rates. Payment method PayPal / ▭ Debit or Credit CardVISA / mastercardG Pay Next step Card number ExpiresCSC Billing address AlexRivera ZIP code · Mobile · Email By continuing, you confirm you're 18 years or older. Pay $2.12 Amount goes to account you*****@example.com
Payment successful You have paid successfully. Done
1/7Top up is in the left menu
  • Tax is added on top: in our test $2 came to $2.12 (the Top up page showed "VAT(6%) $0.12"). Your balance gets the round amount.
  • The card form is run by PayPal, so Billing lists the payment as PayPal even when you paid by card. You don't need a PayPal account.
  • Credit usually arrives right away. DeepSeek says a payment that doesn't can take 24 to 72 hours, and the same page has a Report Payment Failure form if it fails.
  • Stay on USD. CNY prices everything in yuan.
  • Top up (/top_up, or the Top up button on Usage): USD / CNY; $2 (pre-selected) / $5 / $10 / $20 / $50 / $100 / $500 / Custom; the total shows tax (VAT 6% in our US test); PayPal / Debit or Credit Card, Visa / Mastercard, Google Pay › Next step › PayPal or card (PayPal's guest checkout) › Payment successful. Billing (/transactions): Topped-up / Granted, Refunds, a receipt per payment.
  • Prepaid only: no auto top-up, no postpaid, no per-key or monthly cap. At $0 every key on the account gets 402 Insufficient Balance. Granted (promotional) balance, when there is any, is spent first.
  • Refunds (Billing › Refunds): the whole unspent balance in one go, less handling fees; spent credit isn't refunded (Open Platform Terms).
Open Top up directly ↗

Turn on a low-balance alert

Recommended1 min

DeepSeek never tops itself up, so when the balance reaches zero the DeepSeek column simply stops with "Out of API credit". An email before that happens gives you time to add more. On Usage, next to Topped-up balance, it says Balance alert disabled: choose Settings there. In Balance alert settings, turn on the USD Alert switch (the second one; the first is for a balance in yuan), set USD Alert threshold to $1, and choose Save.

How much will you use DeepSeek in PolyCog? A few chats a week spends cents a month. Suggested numbers only.
Illustrationplatform.deepseek.com › Usage (simplified)
deepseekPlatformUsageAPI keysTop upBillingDocsHelp & FeedbackPricingChat for freeAProfile
Usage Topped-up balance Balance alert disabled Settings$2.00 USDTop upTotal cost$0.00 USD Cost$0.00API requests0Tokens0
Balance alert settings After enabling the balance alert feature, we will send you a notification via your registered email address when your account balance falls below the specified threshold. CNY Alert switch CNY Alert threshold¥ 1 USD Alert switch USD Alert threshold$ 1Enter an amount between $1 and $5000000. If both CNY and USD alerts are enabled, a notification will be sent when the balance falls below the specified threshold for both. CancelSave
1/5On Usage, find Balance alert disabled
  • Leave the CNY switch off. With both switches on, DeepSeek only emails when both balances are low.
  • There's no automatic top-up and no monthly spending limit on DeepSeek. What you've put in is the most a key can ever spend, which is why small top-ups are a good idea.
  • When the alert arrives, add more on Top up (step 2), say $2 at a time.
  • Usage › Balance alert disabled › Settings › Balance alert settings: CNY Alert switch + threshold (¥1 to ¥5,000,000), USD Alert switch + threshold ($1 default, $1 to $5,000,000), Save. The email goes to the account address. Both on = an alert only when both are below.
  • No auto-recharge, no spend cap, no per-key limits. Usage filters by API key (so does API keys › API Key Usage), so a separate key for PolyCog shows its own spend.
Open Usage directly ↗

Create the key and copy it

1 min

Choose API keys in the left menu, then the black Create new API key button. Type PolyCog in "Name of the API key" and choose Create API key. The key appears once, in a box with a Copy button. Copy it before you close that box: DeepSeek never shows it again.

Illustrationplatform.deepseek.com › API keys (simplified)
deepseekPlatformUsageAPI keysTop upBillingDocsHelp & FeedbackPricingChat for freeAProfile
API keys Your API keys are listed below. The API key is only visible and can be copied once at creation. Save it securely. DeepSeek may also automatically disable any API key that we've found has leaked publicly. Each account can retain up to 200 API Keys. API Key UsageCreate new API key NameTracking IDKeyCreatedLast usedNo API key, you can Create new API key.
Create new API key Each account can retain up to 200 API Keys. Name of the API key CancelCreate API key
Create new API key✕ Please save this API key somewhere safe and accessible. For security reasons, you won't be able to view it again through your account. If you lose this API key, you'll need to generate a new one. sk-EXAMPLE0a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0x7Qa⧉ Copy Notice: Do not share your API key with others, or expose it in the browser or other client-side code.
API key created.
1/5Choose Create new API key
You only see it onceThe key starts with sk-. Paste it straight into PolyCog (next step) or somewhere safe. If you close the box first, delete that key (the bin icon on its row) and make another. Anyone with the key can spend your balance.
  • API keys › Create new API key › "Name of the API key" › Create API key › the key (sk-…) shown once with Copy. The list: Name, Tracking ID, masked key, Created, Last used; rename (✎) and delete (🗑). Up to 200 keys per account; no scopes or per-key limits.
  • Any key reaches every model and the Anthropic-compatible endpoint PolyCog uses for DeepSeek web search. DeepSeek may disable a key it finds leaked publicly.
Open API keys directly ↗

Paste it into PolyCog

1 min

Sign in to PolyCog (a free account is enough), open your profile and choose the Keys tab. Paste into DeepSeek API key and choose Save keys. The button below opens it right here, over this page.

Illustrationpolycog.io › Profile › Keys
ProfileChatsMemorySettingsSavingsKeys
Keys are stored in this browser. Turn on sync to keep them (encrypted) with your account. Gemini API keyONAQ.… DeepSeek API keyONHow to get one →sk-… Save keys
Keys saved
1/2Paste into DeepSeek API key

Keys stay in the browser you saved them in. If you switch on key sync, they're encrypted and stored with your account so your other devices get them too.

  • Profile › Keys › DeepSeek API key › Save keys. Per-key on/off switch. Sync is optional (AES-256 at rest).
Open PolyCog key settings →

Run a test

1 min

Pick DeepSeek V4.1 Flash in the DeepSeek column and ask something short. It thinks before it answers, so give it a few seconds. An answer means the key and the balance both work. Then try DeepSeek V4 Pro, the slower, deeper one, and once with web search on. Got an error? Find its wording under Troubleshooting.

  • Test on deepseek-flash, then deepseek-v4-pro. With web search on, PolyCog sends DeepSeek turns to api.deepseek.com/anthropic; the same key works there. A 402 means the credit hasn't landed yet. Error text maps to Troubleshooting.

What $2 gets you

Rough numbers for one answer (about 1,100 words of question and context in, 750 words out). A debate round costs a little more than a first answer, since each model reads the others.

ModelPrice per 1M tokensin / outOne answerAnswers per $2
DeepSeek V4.1 Flashcheapest, everyday, sees images$0.30 / $1.20≈ $0.0017≈ 1,200
DeepSeek V4 Prodeep work, text only$1.32 / $3.96≈ $0.0059≈ 340

These are DeepSeek's peak-hour prices; off-peak costs half. Peak hours are 01:00 to 04:00 and 06:00 to 10:00 UTC, Monday to Friday, and weekends and Chinese public holidays are off-peak all day. DeepSeek thinks before it answers and bills the thinking as output, so a hard question can cost a few times more. Web search has no separate fee: the pages it reads are billed as input. Prices from /pricing/, verified Sep 26, 2026. Assumes 1,500 tokens in and 1,000 out per answer.

Troubleshooting

Find the words from the error in PolyCog's DeepSeek column.

Insufficient Balance402 · "You have run out of balance." · PolyCog shows "Out of API credit"
  • The balance is $0.00, or you made the key before adding credit. Add some on Top up (step 2).
  • Just paid? Refresh Usage. If it still says $0.00, DeepSeek says a payment can take 24 to 72 hours to arrive; check your email, or use the Report Payment Failure form on the Top up page.
Authentication Fails, Your api key: … is invalid401 · a wrong, incomplete or deleted key

DeepSeek doesn't recognise the key PolyCog sent: a character went missing when you copied it, or the key was deleted. The four characters DeepSeek shows in the message are the end of that key, so you can match it against the list on API keys. DeepSeek shows a key only once, so make a new one (step 4), paste that, and delete the old one.

My key stopped working by itself401 · a key DeepSeek switched off

DeepSeek says it "may also automatically disable any API key that we've found has leaked publicly" (on a website, in some code, in a screenshot). Delete it on API keys, create a new one and paste that into PolyCog.

Rate Limit Reached429 · "You are sending requests too quickly."

DeepSeek limits how many requests one account runs at the same moment. PolyCog stays far below that, so this usually means DeepSeek is under heavy load. Wait a minute and try again.

Server Overloaded503 · or 500 Server Error

DeepSeek is busy ("The server is overloaded due to high traffic"). It isn't your key or your balance. Try again shortly, or switch the column to the other DeepSeek model. In busy spells DeepSeek can hold a request for a while before it starts, and gives up after 10 minutes.

My top-up failed or never arrivedcard declined · balance still $0.00
  • Try another route on the Top up page: the yellow PayPal button, Visa / Mastercard, or Google Pay. Some card issuers decline international payments until you approve them with your bank.
  • Money left your account but the balance didn't change? Give it up to 72 hours, then use Report Payment Failure on the Top up page.
Model Not Exist400 · an old model name · PolyCog shows "isn't available on this key"

DeepSeek retired deepseek-chat and deepseek-reasoner on Jul 24, 2026, and V4 Flash in September. PolyCog only offers current models, so you'd see this from an old saved chat or another app. Pick one of the models in the DeepSeek column's menu.

No verification code arrivedsigning up by email

It comes from DeepSeek with the subject "Your verification code for DeepSeek" and often lands in spam. After a minute the Code box offers Send code again, and a code stays valid for 5 days. Or go back to Log in and use Log in with Google instead.

Where's my key?closed the box before copying

DeepSeek shows a key only once. On API keys, delete the one you lost (the bin icon on its row) and choose Create new API key again. It costs nothing, and an account can keep up to 200 keys.

Questions people ask

Is the DeepSeek API free?

No. The chat app is free, but the API runs on prepaid credit and a new account starts at $0.00. It is cheap, though: an everyday answer costs under a fifth of a cent at peak prices and less off-peak. The smallest top-up is $2, plus tax.

Why was I charged $2.12 for $2?

Tax. The Top up page adds it on top and shows the split before you pay ("Total excluding tax $2.00 + VAT(6%) $0.12" in our test). Your balance gets the $2.00.

Is it the same account as the DeepSeek app?

Yes. The sign-up page says "One DeepSeek account is all you need to access to all DeepSeek services", and DeepSeek's Open Platform Terms say the Platform and the chat service "use the same account". The API balance is separate; the app stays free.

Where do I find my DeepSeek API key again?

You can't: DeepSeek shows each key once, when you create it. The API keys page only lists the first and last few characters. If you've lost it, delete that key and create a new one.

Can DeepSeek top up automatically, or cap my spending?

Neither, as of September 2026. The balance you add is the limit: when it runs out, requests stop. The balance alert (step 3) emails you before that happens.

Why is DeepSeek cheaper at some hours?

DeepSeek charges full price in its peak hours (01:00 to 04:00 and 06:00 to 10:00 UTC on weekdays) and half price the rest of the time, including all weekend and on Chinese public holidays. PolyCog's cost estimates use the peak price, so your real bill can come in lower.

Can I get a refund on DeepSeek credit?

Billing has a Refunds link. DeepSeek's Open Platform Terms refund the whole unspent balance in one go, less handling fees; they don't do partial refunds or refund credit already used.

Does DeepSeek use my prompts?

DeepSeek's privacy policy (updated Feb 10, 2026) says it stores personal data in the People's Republic of China and may use it to train and improve its models, with a right to opt out. Its Open Platform Terms also say outputs may be used to train other models. Don't send anything you wouldn't want stored there.

Is it safe to give PolyCog my key?

PolyCog sends it only to DeepSeek, only for requests you start. It's kept in your browser, and encrypted if you turn on key sync. You can delete the key on DeepSeek's API keys page at any time, and the prepaid balance is the most it can ever cost.

Keys for the other seats

OpenAI API keyThe key behind the ChatGPT column: account, $5 of credit, auto-reload and the key itself.Verified Sep 25, 2026 · Read the guide → Anthropic API keyThe key behind the Claude column: Console account, $5 of credit, a spend limit and the key itself.Verified Sep 26, 2026 · Read the guide → Google API keyThe key behind the Gemini column: AI Studio's free key, $5 of credit for the paid tier, and a spend cap.Verified Sep 26, 2026 · Read the guide →
DeepSeekDeepSeek columnThis guide
xAIGrok columnComing soon
OpenRouterWildcard seat, one key for six labsComing soon
ElevenLabsHD narration voicesComing soon

Key in hand? Put it to work.

PolyCog puts up to six AI models on the same question, lets them debate, and has the one you pick write the answer. Your keys, provider prices, no markup.

Try PolyCog free What every model costs

Free tier forever · $10/mo · $250 lifetime · your API keys, your bill

Verified at DeepSeek's help center, developer docs and platform on Sep 26, 2026. DeepSeek moves things around; spotted a change? Send a correction. Screens are simplified drawings, not screenshots. Not affiliated with DeepSeek. All guides → · Models → · Pricing →