Quick Answer
DeepSeek offers the best value. Free tiers vary—Claude and ChatGPT both offer usable free options.
Detailed Answer
For API users: DeepSeek is 10-50x cheaper than GPT-4/Claude while remaining competitive. For consumers: all major AIs have free tiers. ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, and Gemini Advanced all cost ~$20/month. For budget-conscious users, start with free tiers, then try DeepSeek's generous limits before committing to a subscription.
Related Resources
Find Your Own Answer
The best way to decide is to try them yourself. Council lets you compare multiple AI responses to the same question.