DeepSeek Search and Fetch free period in Claude Code and Codex ends November 1

What changed

As of October 17, 2026, DeepSeek's Models & Pricing page has a new note. It says that when you use the DeepSeek API through DeepSeek Harness, Claude Code or Codex, server-side tool calls already hit the Search and Fetch APIs. Those calls are currently free of charge. Per-request billing starts at 00:00 Beijing time on November 1, 2026, which is 16:00 UTC on October 31.

The previous version of the page limited the free period to web searches from Claude Code's Web Search tool and Codex's web_search feature. It covered the first two weeks after the Search API launch and said the billing start date would be announced separately. The new note gives a fixed date, includes Fetch as well as Search, and adds DeepSeek Harness.

Sources: Models & Pricing

What the calls will cost

Search and Fetch are standalone APIs billed per request. Each costs $0.75 per 1,000 successful requests. This is separate from model usage, which DeepSeek bills per 1M input and output tokens.

Fees are taken from your topped-up balance or your granted balance. When you have both, DeepSeek uses the granted balance first.

Sources: Models & Pricing

Who this affects

If Claude Code or Codex runs through the DeepSeek API and makes server-side Search or Fetch calls, those calls will start drawing on your DeepSeek balance from November 1. For the complete billing rules, the pricing page points to DeepSeek's Search & Fetch guide.

Sources: Models & Pricing