---
title: "How to use DeepSeek: a beginner’s guide"
canonical_url: "https://tryiro.com/blog/how-to-use-deepseek"
site: "Iro AI"
site_url: "https://tryiro.com"
app_store: "https://apps.apple.com/app/id6759628066"
language: en-US
keywords: ["how to use DeepSeek", "DeepSeek guide", "DeepSeek tutorial", "how to use DeepSeek AI", "DeepSeek tips", "is DeepSeek safe"]
date_published: "2026-06-22"
date_modified: "2026-06-22"
reading_time_minutes: 5
author: "Alex Furukawa"
license: "© 2026 Iro AI"
canonical_llm_reference: "https://tryiro.com/llms-full.txt"
pillar: "ai-tools"
---

# How to use DeepSeek: a beginner’s guide

> DeepSeek is a capable, low-cost AI assistant from a Chinese lab, known for strong reasoning and open models. Here's how to start using it, what it's good at, and what to keep in mind.

**Canonical:** https://tryiro.com/blog/how-to-use-deepseek
**Published:** 2026-06-22
**Reading time:** ~5 min
**Author:** Alex Furukawa — Founder of Iro AI

## Key takeaways

- DeepSeek offers a free web chat and apps; its models are also open, which is why it shows up cheaply in many other tools.
- It's strong at reasoning, math, and coding, often at a fraction of the cost of mainstream options.
- Use the same prompting fundamentals you'd use anywhere — clear role, context, task, and format.
- Be mindful of where your data goes: avoid sensitive or confidential information, as with any AI service.

## How to start using DeepSeek

**The easiest way to try DeepSeek is its free web chat at the official site, or its mobile app — sign in, type a question, and refine like any assistant.** Because DeepSeek's models are open, you'll also find them offered inside other apps and platforms, sometimes at very low cost. New to it? Start with [what is DeepSeek](/blog/what-is-deepseek).

## What DeepSeek is good at

- **Reasoning and math** — its reasoning models handle multi-step problems well.
- **Coding** — a common, capable choice for programming help.
- **Cost** — strong performance at a fraction of the price of many mainstream options, which is its biggest draw.

For comparison against the default option, see [ChatGPT vs DeepSeek](/blog/chatgpt-vs-deepseek).

## How to get better answers from DeepSeek

Nothing exotic here — the fundamentals transfer. Give it a role, the context, a clear task, and the output format you want; for hard problems, ask it to reason step by step. The same habits that make you effective with any model make you effective with DeepSeek. See [how to write a good prompt](/blog/how-to-write-a-prompt), and [verify anything important](/blog/spot-ai-hallucinations).

## Privacy and safety considerations

As with any AI service, be deliberate about what you share. DeepSeek is operated by a company based in China, and data handling differs from Western providers, so avoid confidential, personal, or regulated information unless you've confirmed it's appropriate — and follow your employer's policy. This is good practice with _every_ assistant, not just this one. Knowing how to use any tool safely and well is part of [AI fluency](/become-ai-fluent); you can [build it in 5 minutes a day](/learn-ai-in-5-minutes-a-day).

## FAQ

**How do I start using DeepSeek?**

Use the free web chat on DeepSeek's official site or its mobile app — sign in, ask a question in plain language, and refine. Because its models are open, you'll also find DeepSeek offered inside other apps, often at low cost.

**Is DeepSeek free to use?**

DeepSeek offers a free web chat and apps, and its open models appear cheaply in many third-party tools. Paid API access is also available and is notably low-cost compared with many mainstream options.

**What is DeepSeek good at?**

Reasoning, math, and coding, often at a fraction of the cost of mainstream assistants. That price-to-performance ratio is its biggest draw.

**Is DeepSeek safe to use?**

Treat it like any AI service: avoid sharing confidential, personal, or regulated data, and follow your employer's policy. DeepSeek is operated by a China-based company, so data handling differs from Western providers — be deliberate about what you put in.

## Read next

- [What is DeepSeek?](https://tryiro.com/blog/what-is-deepseek)
- [ChatGPT vs DeepSeek](https://tryiro.com/blog/chatgpt-vs-deepseek)
- [The best AI apps in 2026](https://tryiro.com/blog/best-ai-apps)
- [Take the free AI IQ test](https://tryiro.com/quiz)

## About the author

Alex Furukawa — Founder of Iro AI. Alex Furukawa is the founder of Iro AI, the gamified app for learning to use AI well. He writes about practical AI fluency — prompting, AI tools, and the daily habits that turn AI from a novelty into real leverage.