Get a DeepSeek API key

Before you start

DeepSeek is a Chinese AI company with low prices. It is paid in advance: without a balance, the key does not work in Rectoly.

• A mobile phone number or an email address to sign up with
• A way to pay: PayPal, a bank card, Alipay or WeChat Pay
• If you are under 18, a parent's or guardian's consent

These steps follow DeepSeek's own documentation as of 2026-10-23 (sources at the end). The exact wording of buttons can change.

1. Sign up

Open platform.deepseek.com and sign up with your phone number or email address. DeepSeek sends a code to confirm it.

2. Top up

Open Top Up and add money to your balance. DeepSeek may ask you to verify your identity first. The result shows on the Billing page.

• The balance does not expire. Money you have not used can be refunded from Billing.

3. Create a key

Open API keys and create a new key. You can give it a name, such as "Rectoly". In Rectoly, Get a key opens this page.

4. Copy the key

Copy the key right away and keep it somewhere safe. If you lose it, delete it and create a new one.

5. Paste it into Rectoly

In Rectoly, open Settings › AI and choose Your own API key (the first time, read the notice and agree). Under Quick setup, choose DeepSeek as the AI company and press Paste and check. When In use: appears, you are done. More: Paste the key into Rectoly.

Prices and peak hours

Rectoly uses deepseek-flash. Per 1 million tokens it costs 2 yuan (US$0.30) for what is sent and 8 yuan (US$1.20) for what comes back, during peak hours: weekdays 9:00–12:00 and 14:00–18:00, Beijing time. At all other times, including weekends and Chinese public holidays, it is half that.

• Translating a whole paper costs about 0.2 yuan at peak. More: What it costs.
• You spend only what you have topped up. When the balance reaches zero, Rectoly shows The AI company rejected the request: with Insufficient Balance. Top up again.
• The Usage page shows what you have used.

Delete the key

On the API keys page, press the trash bin next to the key and confirm. A deleted key stops working at once, Rectoly included.