DeepSeek or ChatGPT?
The world of AI is buzzing about DeepSeek, the Chinese AI tool that’s shaking up the market. With claims of superior efficiency, lower costs, and impressive performance, it’s quickly become a competitor to industry leaders like ChatGPT.
But is DeepSeek the game-changer it’s hyped up to be? More importantly, how can cold email marketers leverage it to create better campaigns?
In this blog, we’ll break down the strengths and weaknesses of DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT, explore how to use them in your cold email strategy, and why infrastructure matters just as much as AI.
DeepSeek: What’s All the Hype About?
DeepSeek launched in 2025 and almost immediately disrupted the market with a unique promise: “Do more with less.” It’s an AI model that rivals ChatGPT in performance but was built using fewer resources and at a fraction of the cost.
What makes DeepSeek stand out is its cost efficiency and logic-based capabilities. This AI tool was developed using Mixture-of-Experts (MoE), which activates only the neurons needed for a specific query. The result? Faster outputs, lower costs, and highly efficient use of computing power.
Here’s why DeepSeek is making waves:
- It’s Affordable: DeepSeek was trained using cost-effective techniques, making it an appealing option for businesses on a budget.
- Performance-Driven: It excels at tasks requiring reasoning and logic, such as generating structured, data-driven responses.
- Open Source: Unlike ChatGPT, DeepSeek is open-source, allowing developers to tweak and customize it for specific use cases.
But is it perfect? Not quite.
DeepSeek faces challenges like limited features, potential privacy concerns (data is stored on Chinese servers), and censorship issues that can limit its global appeal.
ChatGPT: The AI Gold Standard (for Now)
ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, remains the benchmark for conversational AI. It’s known for its versatility, creative output, and seamless integrations with other tools.
Here’s why ChatGPT is still leading the pack:
- Advanced Features: From voice interactions to code generation and creative writing, ChatGPT offers a range of capabilities that go beyond cold email.
- Integrations: It works effortlessly with platforms like Clay, Zapier, and Instantly.ai, automating workflows and saving marketers time.
- Global Trust: ChatGPT is hosted on U.S.-based servers, making it more appealing for privacy-conscious businesses.
However, the downside? It’s resource-intensive and comes at a higher cost, which might not make sense for teams that need straightforward, affordable solutions.
DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT: Which One Should You Choose?
When it comes to cold email campaigns, both tools have their strengths.
When to Use DeepSeek:
- Low-Cost Personalization: Generate personalized intros, subject lines, and CTAs without breaking the bank.
- Manual Workflows: For smaller-scale campaigns, DeepSeek offers excellent results with a bit of manual input.
- Logic-Driven Tasks: If your outreach requires structured, concise messaging, DeepSeek’s reasoning capabilities excel.
When to Use ChatGPT:
- Automation at Scale: With its robust API, ChatGPT integrates directly with tools like Clay for seamless automation.
- Creative Writing: If you need storytelling, humor, or long-form copy, ChatGPT is the better choice.
- Advanced Features: Use it for tasks like dynamic content creation, voice interactions, and multi-step workflows.
The key takeaway? DeepSeek is great for cost-conscious cold emailers, while ChatGPT offers more advanced functionality for teams looking to automate at scale.
How to Use DeepSeek for Cold Email
DeepSeek is a valuable tool for cold email personalization, even though it doesn’t yet integrate directly with tools like Clay. Here’s how to make it work for your campaigns:
Step 1: Start with High-Quality Leads
Before you generate email copy, you need great data. Use a platform like Clay to pull:
- LinkedIn Profiles: Grab job titles, work history, and skills.
- Company News: Include funding announcements, recent awards, or product launches.
- Industry Data: Find relevant insights to tailor your messaging.
Export this data into a CSV file to keep everything organized.
Step 2: Personalize with DeepSeek
DeepSeek excels at short, logical responses, making it ideal for crafting first-liners and subject lines.
Upload your lead data into DeepSeek’s web app or API, and prompt it to create personalized intros.
Example Prompt:
"Write a compelling email intro for a VP of Marketing at a company that just raised $10M in Series A funding."
DeepSeek will generate tailored first-liners, which you can insert into your emails for better engagement.
Step 3: Optimize Your Email Copy
Once your personalization is ready, use DeepSeek to refine the rest of your email:
- Subject Lines: Test variations to improve open rates.
- Body Copy: Keep it short, direct, and action-oriented.
- CTAs: Ensure they’re clear and specific.
Example: Instead of generic CTAs like “Let me know if you’re interested,” try:
- “Does next Tuesday work for a quick call?”
- “Would it make sense to discuss [specific solution] this week?”
Scaling Cold Email: Don’t Ignore Infrastructure
Here’s a hard truth: AI alone won’t make your cold email campaigns successful.
Even the best copy can fail if your email infrastructure isn’t up to par.
This is where dedicated platforms like Mailin.ai come in.
With Mailin, you can:
- Purchase dedicated mailboxes and domains automatically.
- Avoid shared IPs, which can tank your sender reputation.
- Save money (Mailin is 83% cheaper than Google Workspace and Outlook).
Cold email isn’t just about great content—it’s about delivering that content to inboxes, not spam folders.
DeepSeek + Cold Email: Is It the Future?
While DeepSeek offers incredible potential, it’s not an automatic replacement for ChatGPT. It shines in specific use cases like:
- Manual personalization workflows.
- Logic-driven copywriting tasks.
- Cost-effective email optimization.
But for teams that rely heavily on automation, integrations, or advanced features, ChatGPT is still the better choice.
That said, pairing DeepSeek with strong infrastructure—like dedicated mailboxes and IPs—can give your cold email campaigns a competitive edge.
Final Thoughts: Why DeepSeek Deserves Your Attention
DeepSeek is a promising tool for cold emailers who need fast, affordable AI solutions.
It might not have all the bells and whistles of ChatGPT, but its focus on efficiency and logic makes it an excellent option for personalization and optimization.
Here’s how to get started:
- Use Clay to gather high-quality leads.
- Test DeepSeek for personalized first-liners and CTAs.
- Pair it with strong email infrastructure to maximize deliverability.
The question isn’t whether DeepSeek will replace ChatGPT—it’s whether you can adapt quickly enough to leverage tools like this before your competitors do.
The AI game is evolving. Are you ready to evolve with it?
DeepSeek or ChatGPT?
The world of AI is buzzing about DeepSeek, the Chinese AI tool that’s shaking up the market. With claims of superior efficiency, lower costs, and impressive performance, it’s quickly become a competitor to industry leaders like ChatGPT.
But is DeepSeek the game-changer it’s hyped up to be? More importantly, how can cold email marketers leverage it to create better campaigns?
In this blog, we’ll break down the strengths and weaknesses of DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT, explore how to use them in your cold email strategy, and why infrastructure matters just as much as AI.
DeepSeek: What’s All the Hype About?
DeepSeek launched in 2025 and almost immediately disrupted the market with a unique promise: “Do more with less.” It’s an AI model that rivals ChatGPT in performance but was built using fewer resources and at a fraction of the cost.
What makes DeepSeek stand out is its cost efficiency and logic-based capabilities. This AI tool was developed using Mixture-of-Experts (MoE), which activates only the neurons needed for a specific query. The result? Faster outputs, lower costs, and highly efficient use of computing power.
Here’s why DeepSeek is making waves:
- It’s Affordable: DeepSeek was trained using cost-effective techniques, making it an appealing option for businesses on a budget.
- Performance-Driven: It excels at tasks requiring reasoning and logic, such as generating structured, data-driven responses.
- Open Source: Unlike ChatGPT, DeepSeek is open-source, allowing developers to tweak and customize it for specific use cases.
But is it perfect? Not quite.
DeepSeek faces challenges like limited features, potential privacy concerns (data is stored on Chinese servers), and censorship issues that can limit its global appeal.
ChatGPT: The AI Gold Standard (for Now)
ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, remains the benchmark for conversational AI. It’s known for its versatility, creative output, and seamless integrations with other tools.
Here’s why ChatGPT is still leading the pack:
- Advanced Features: From voice interactions to code generation and creative writing, ChatGPT offers a range of capabilities that go beyond cold email.
- Integrations: It works effortlessly with platforms like Clay, Zapier, and Instantly.ai, automating workflows and saving marketers time.
- Global Trust: ChatGPT is hosted on U.S.-based servers, making it more appealing for privacy-conscious businesses.
However, the downside? It’s resource-intensive and comes at a higher cost, which might not make sense for teams that need straightforward, affordable solutions.
DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT: Which One Should You Choose?
When it comes to cold email campaigns, both tools have their strengths.
When to Use DeepSeek:
- Low-Cost Personalization: Generate personalized intros, subject lines, and CTAs without breaking the bank.
- Manual Workflows: For smaller-scale campaigns, DeepSeek offers excellent results with a bit of manual input.
- Logic-Driven Tasks: If your outreach requires structured, concise messaging, DeepSeek’s reasoning capabilities excel.
When to Use ChatGPT:
- Automation at Scale: With its robust API, ChatGPT integrates directly with tools like Clay for seamless automation.
- Creative Writing: If you need storytelling, humor, or long-form copy, ChatGPT is the better choice.
- Advanced Features: Use it for tasks like dynamic content creation, voice interactions, and multi-step workflows.
The key takeaway? DeepSeek is great for cost-conscious cold emailers, while ChatGPT offers more advanced functionality for teams looking to automate at scale.
How to Use DeepSeek for Cold Email
DeepSeek is a valuable tool for cold email personalization, even though it doesn’t yet integrate directly with tools like Clay. Here’s how to make it work for your campaigns:
Step 1: Start with High-Quality Leads
Before you generate email copy, you need great data. Use a platform like Clay to pull:
- LinkedIn Profiles: Grab job titles, work history, and skills.
- Company News: Include funding announcements, recent awards, or product launches.
- Industry Data: Find relevant insights to tailor your messaging.
Export this data into a CSV file to keep everything organized.
Step 2: Personalize with DeepSeek
DeepSeek excels at short, logical responses, making it ideal for crafting first-liners and subject lines.
Upload your lead data into DeepSeek’s web app or API, and prompt it to create personalized intros.
Example Prompt:
"Write a compelling email intro for a VP of Marketing at a company that just raised $10M in Series A funding."
DeepSeek will generate tailored first-liners, which you can insert into your emails for better engagement.
Step 3: Optimize Your Email Copy
Once your personalization is ready, use DeepSeek to refine the rest of your email:
- Subject Lines: Test variations to improve open rates.
- Body Copy: Keep it short, direct, and action-oriented.
- CTAs: Ensure they’re clear and specific.
Example: Instead of generic CTAs like “Let me know if you’re interested,” try:
- “Does next Tuesday work for a quick call?”
- “Would it make sense to discuss [specific solution] this week?”
Scaling Cold Email: Don’t Ignore Infrastructure
Here’s a hard truth: AI alone won’t make your cold email campaigns successful.
Even the best copy can fail if your email infrastructure isn’t up to par.
This is where dedicated platforms like Mailin.ai come in.
With Mailin, you can:
- Purchase dedicated mailboxes and domains automatically.
- Avoid shared IPs, which can tank your sender reputation.
- Save money (Mailin is 83% cheaper than Google Workspace and Outlook).
Cold email isn’t just about great content—it’s about delivering that content to inboxes, not spam folders.
DeepSeek + Cold Email: Is It the Future?
While DeepSeek offers incredible potential, it’s not an automatic replacement for ChatGPT. It shines in specific use cases like:
- Manual personalization workflows.
- Logic-driven copywriting tasks.
- Cost-effective email optimization.
But for teams that rely heavily on automation, integrations, or advanced features, ChatGPT is still the better choice.
That said, pairing DeepSeek with strong infrastructure—like dedicated mailboxes and IPs—can give your cold email campaigns a competitive edge.
Final Thoughts: Why DeepSeek Deserves Your Attention
DeepSeek is a promising tool for cold emailers who need fast, affordable AI solutions.
It might not have all the bells and whistles of ChatGPT, but its focus on efficiency and logic makes it an excellent option for personalization and optimization.
Here’s how to get started:
- Use Clay to gather high-quality leads.
- Test DeepSeek for personalized first-liners and CTAs.
- Pair it with strong email infrastructure to maximize deliverability.
The question isn’t whether DeepSeek will replace ChatGPT—it’s whether you can adapt quickly enough to leverage tools like this before your competitors do.
The AI game is evolving. Are you ready to evolve with it?