DeepSeek V4.1 Flash via API: setup from Russia and pricing

DeepSeek V4.1 Flash is one of the cheapest models in the Zukko catalogue: $0.013 per million input tokens. That is why it is used for bulk tasks and long texts. Through Zukko the DeepSeek V4.1 Flash API is available with the same key as Claude and GPT, and the balance can be topped up from Russia via SBP, a Russian bank card or cryptocurrency. Below: step-by-step setup, code, prices and calculations for typical workloads.

DeepSeek V4.1 Flash pricing in Zukko

The model ID is deepseek-v4.1-flash. Prices in dollars per 1M tokens as of 6 October 2026:

The intelligence index in the catalogue is 39 (the Intelligence Index from Artificial Analysis, a composite benchmark score). Models and prices change: current data is at GET https://api.zukko.pro/v1/models or on the Models page in the dashboard.

Note that a cache read costs the same as normal input, and a write is not charged separately. Caching does not change the bill for this model, and there is no need to structure requests around it.

Connecting the DeepSeek V4.1 Flash API from Russia

1. Sign up at zukko.pro↗ and confirm your email.
2. Top up the balance — from $1. SBP and Russian cards (Mir, Visa, MasterCard) are accepted in roubles at the market rate at the time of payment, as well as cryptocurrency. There is no sign-up bonus, but subscribing to the @zukkopro Telegram channel credits $0.50 once: link Telegram in the dashboard, subscribe and press "Check".
3. Create a key on the API keys page↗. The full key is shown once — save it.
4. Send your first request.

The same steps in more detail are in the quick start↗.

Python

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(base_url="https://api.zukko.pro/v1", api_key="fetch_your_key")

resp = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="deepseek-v4.1-flash",
    messages=[
        {"role": "system", "content": "You are an online store support assistant. Keep answers short."},
        {"role": "user", "content": "How do I return an item if the box has been opened?"},
    ],
    max_tokens=400,
)
print(resp.choices[0].message.content)
print(resp.usage.prompt_tokens, resp.usage.completion_tokens)

More on working with the SDK — in the Python reference↗.

curl

curl https://api.zukko.pro/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer fetch_your_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "deepseek-v4.1-flash",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Shorten to one sentence: ..."}]
  }'

JavaScript (Node.js 18+)

// file main.mjs, run: ZUKKO_KEY=fetch_... node main.mjs
const res = await fetch("https://api.zukko.pro/v1/chat/completions", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${process.env.ZUKKO_KEY}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    model: "deepseek-v4.1-flash",
    messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Suggest three headlines for an article about delivery" }],
  }),
});
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data.choices[0].message.content);

The model also works in the Anthropic format through POST /v1/messages — the gateway converts the request.

Cost calculations

Formula: cost = input (millions of tokens) × input price + output (millions of tokens) × output price.

Support bot

10,000 conversations a month, each with a total of 2,000 input tokens (instructions, history, question) and a 400-token answer. That is 20M input tokens and 4M output tokens.

• DeepSeek V4.1 Flash in Zukko: 20 × 0.013 + 4 × 0.038 = 0.26 + 0.152 = $0.412
• at the vendor's official price: 20 × 0.15 + 4 × 0.6 = 3 + 2.4 = $5.40

The same workload on neighbouring Zukko models:

Processing long documents

1,000 documents of 50,000 tokens each, with a 1,000-token summary for each. 50M input, 1M output:

50 × 0.013 + 1 × 0.038 = 0.65 + 0.038 = $0.688.

The 1M-token context lets you send a long document whole, without chunking. As noted above, caching will not lower this bill — input and cache prices are the same.

When to use DeepSeek V4.1 Flash

• Bulk repetitive tasks: classification, field extraction, templated short answers, draft translations. Price per token is what matters here.
• Long texts: input costs $0.013 per million, and the context is 1M tokens.
• Prototypes and tests: convenient for debugging a pipeline without worrying about spend.

When to look at other models:

• You need image input — this model does not accept it. In the same family deepseek-v4-pro accepts images, but its intelligence index is lower (36 versus 39) and its price is higher — more in the article on DeepSeek V4 Pro via API↗.
• Hard tasks — compare on your own examples with models that have a higher index: gemini-3.8-flash (41), glm-5.3-flash (42, 128K context), gpt-6.1-sol (52).

The index is an averaged score on other people's tests. It is more reliable to check yourself: take 20–50 real requests with a known correct answer, run them on two or three models, and compare the share of correct answers and the total in the Usage section.

If something does not work

• 401 — the key is wrong or revoked; it must start with fetch_.
• 402 — insufficient balance; top up in the dashboard.
• 403 model_not_allowed_for_key — the key has an allowed-models list and deepseek-v4.1-flash is not on it.
• 404 model_not_found — unknown model name; check the ID via GET /v1/models.
• 429 — the key's daily or monthly limit is used up (key_daily_limit_reached / key_monthly_limit_reached) — raise it in the dashboard or wait for the reset — or a limit on the model provider's side: lower concurrency and retry after a pause. Zukko has no general rate limit of its own.
• 503 model_disabled — the model is temporarily disabled; pick another from GET /v1/models.

FAQ

Do I need a separate DeepSeek account?

No. Requests go through Zukko with a fetch_... key, paid from a single dollar balance.

How does DeepSeek V4.1 Flash differ from DeepSeek V4 Flash in price?

In Zukko V4.1 Flash costs $0.013 / $0.038 per million input and output tokens, V4 Flash $0.025 / $0.075. The catalogue lists an intelligence index only for V4.1 Flash — 39.

Can I use the model in Cline or another extension?

Yes, via the OpenAI Compatible provider with the address https://api.zukko.pro/v1, a fetch_... key and the ID deepseek-v4.1-flash.

Does caching give a discount on this model?

No. The cache read price equals the input price — $0.013 per million tokens, and a write is not charged separately.