DeepClaude – Claude Code agent loop with DeepSeek V4 Pro, 17x cheaper
DeepClaude enables users to run the Claude Code autonomous agent interface with cheaper backend models like DeepSeek V4 Pro, reducing costs by up to 90% compared to Anthropic's $200/month offering. It maintains the same user experience, including file editing, bash execution, and multi-step coding loops, while substituting the underlying AI model. Users can switch between backends such as OpenRouter, Fireworks AI, or Anthropic for varying cost, speed, and capability trade-offs.
- ▪DeepClaude replaces Claude Code's default model with DeepSeek V4 Pro, cutting output token costs from $15/M to $0.87/M.
- ▪The tool supports multiple backends, including OpenRouter ($0.44/M input) and Fireworks AI, with DeepSeek offering automatic context caching for cheaper repeated operations.
- ▪Features like file editing, bash execution, git operations, and subagent spawning work, but image input and parallel tool use are not supported.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
deepclaude Use Claude Code's autonomous agent loop with DeepSeek V4 Pro, OpenRouter, or any Anthropic-compatible backend. Same UX, 17x cheaper. What this does Claude Code is the best autonomous coding agent — but it costs $200/month with usage caps. DeepSeek V4 Pro scores 96.4% on LiveCodeBench and costs $0.87/M output tokens. deepclaude swaps the brain while keeping the body: Your terminal └── Claude Code CLI (tool loop, file editing, bash, git — unchanged) └── API calls → DeepSeek V4 Pro ($0.87/M) instead of Anthropic ($15/M) Everything works: file reading, editing, bash execution, subagent spawning, autonomous multi-step coding loops. The only difference is which model thinks. Quick start (2 minutes) 1.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at GitHub.