DeepSeek API Pricing Dispute: Can Rented GPUs Actually Cover Costs?
t4a8945 · reddit · 2026-08-07
A recent tweet claimed that one could reproduce DeepSeek's current API pricing profitably even on rented GPUs. A developer expressed skepticism and broke down the economics of local deployment.
Running the DS4 Flash model on owned hardware (2x Spark at $0.20/kWh), the developer found:
- Input Cost: $0.0082-$0.0089 per MTok, significantly cheaper than the API.
- Output Cost: $0.32-$0.39 per MTok, already more expensive than the API.
The author notes this calculation excludes the hardware depreciation cost entirely. They asked the community for insights on more efficient hosting methods to match the official API's low pricing on rented hardware while remaining profitable.
Related event: Developer Analysis Shows Rented GPUs Can Cover DeepSeek API Costs(2 posts)→
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