The same amount of AI processing can cost different amounts depending on when it runs. DeepSeek's published Flash and V4 Pro pricing schedule makes off-peak rates half the peak rates. Peak periods run from 01:00 to 04:00 and 06:00 to 10:00 UTC on weekdays, excluding Chinese public holidays; weekends and those holidays are entirely off-peak. For work whose timing is flexible, the schedule therefore matters alongside the amount of text processed. These are the rates and timing rules in the published pricing documentation, rather than a permanent price attached to a model name.
