DeepSeek-R1 and o1 in ChatGPT: a student’s comparison

Editorial note: this comparison records an experience from 2025, not a systematic evaluation. ChatGPT’s features should not automatically be attributed to the o1 model; plans, prices and available models change. The examples do not establish that one tool is always more accurate or faster than another.

In the world of artificial intelligence Applied to education, two names stand out for their ability to help students: DeepSeek-R1 and o1 in ChatGPT. In this comparison, we explore its strengths and weaknesses so you can choose the tool that best suits your academic needs, whether it's solving math problems, writing essays, or learning something new.

In this experience, I used DeepSeek-R1 for technical questions in mathematics, physics and programming. The chat access I tried did not require a paid subscription, which was useful to me as a student. That does not mean every service or deployment of the model is free.

I also tried o1 through ChatGPT, OpenAI’s service. It is important to distinguish the model from the application: image, voice or video tools offered by ChatGPT are not necessarily capabilities of o1. My comparison focuses on the study and programming examples shown here.

1. Precision and Speed

DeepSeek-R1

• 📌Precision: The model focuses on reasoning, but its mathematics, physics and programming solutions still need to be checked.
• ⚡Speed: Response time varies with the task and service load. At times, the message “The server is busy. Please try again later” appeared.
• Example: When asking it to solve an integral, check both the answer and the steps; speed does not establish correctness.

o1 in ChatGPT

• 📌Precision: It gave detailed explanations in the examples reviewed. This does not establish that it always outperforms another model.
• ⚡Speed: Fast, although its performance may vary depending on server load.
• Example: For the same integral, the example from o1 in ChatGPT includes a detailed explanation, additional steps and examples.

2. Ease and Example of Use

DeepSeek-R1

• Interface: simple and direct, perfect for quick responses.

Example

• 💡Prompt: “Okay, I need to create a vehicle add form that collects the license plate, make and model of each vehicle.”

Result

o1 in ChatGPT

• Interface: Intuitive and easy to use, although with more options available.

Example

• 💡Prompt: «Now I want a small form to open simulating the payment method based on the parking rate when I go to unpark.»

Result

3. Cost and Accessibility

DeepSeek-R1

• 💲Cost: The chat used in this test did not require a paid subscription.
• ✅Accessibility: Chat access was straightforward; other uses, such as an API or self-hosting, have different requirements.

o1 in ChatGPT

• 💲Cost: The experience described used ChatGPT Plus. Access to o1 depended on the plan and limits in effect in 2025.
• ✅Accessibility: Available models and limits change; check the current plan before deciding.

4. Additional Services

DeepSeek-R1

• Focus: This comparison evaluated text responses in the chat interface.
• Advantage: Perfect for students who only need textual answers without additional features.

o1 in ChatGPT

• Focus: ChatGPT may include different tools depending on the plan and date. They should not all be attributed to the o1 model.
• Advantage: The application may bring together additional tools, but assess separately which ones you need and which are available.

5. Usage Comparison

Below is the exact prompt used in both AIs and a short demonstration video:

💡Prompt Used:

"I need you to design a complete UML class diagram, using standard UML notation, based on the content of the following project statement. The project consists of developing a web application to manage the institute's job board (CFGS DAW 2024-2025).

Requirements and details to take into account:

• Management of the job pool with actors: companies and students.
• Functionalities for the registration and management of companies, job offers, applications, incidents, news and external offers.
• Administrative and maintenance operations, including incident control and email notifications.
• Non-relational database (MongoDB) with representative schemas/documents.
• The diagram must include classes, attributes, methods and relationships (inheritance, association, composition).

Purpose: Basis for the implementation of the project.”

Demonstrative Video

Final Conclusion: Who Wins?

🏆DeepSeek-R1

In my experience, DeepSeek-R1 was useful for these reasons:

• The chat I tried did not require a paid subscription, which mattered to my student budget.
• I found its answers useful, although I did not measure their quality systematically against o1. These examples do not establish equal performance across all tasks.

o1 in ChatGPT

It may suit you if:

• you need premium features available in the particular plan you are considering.
• You have the budget to pay a monthly subscription.