The DeepSeek API does not impose explicit rate limits on the number of requests or turns it can handle. This means users can theoretically make a large number of concurrent requests without facing restrictions on the number of turns per session[1][2][4]. However, there are practical limitations due to server capacity and demand strain.
When DeepSeek's servers are under high traffic pressure, users may experience delays in receiving responses. The API will keep the connection open and may return empty lines or keep-alive comments in streaming requests to maintain the connection[1]. If a request is not completed after 30 minutes, the server will close the connection[1].
Despite the lack of rate limits, DeepSeek has faced challenges with demand outstripping its server capacity. This has led to performance issues, delays, and even temporary restrictions on accessing the API to manage demand and prevent system overload[7][8]. For instance, DeepSeek has suspended new account signups and halted API credit top-ups to manage server strain[8].
In terms of optimizing usage, users can leverage DeepSeek's context caching feature to reduce costs and improve efficiency. The cache system uses 64 tokens as a storage unit, and content less than 64 tokens is not cached. By structuring requests to reuse cached content, users can maximize cost savings[4][10].
Overall, while there are no explicit limitations on the number of turns, users should be aware of potential performance issues during high demand periods and plan accordingly to optimize their API usage.
Citations:
[1] https://api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/rate_limit
[2] https://simonwillison.net/2025/Jan/18/deepseek-api-docs-rate-limit/
[3] https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1ibe1f6/there_shouldnt_be_any_limit_for_r1_model_for_pro/
[4] https://api-docs.deepseek.com/news/news0802
[5] https://www.byteplus.com/en/topic/384050
[6] https://www.byteplus.com/en/topic/384057
[7] https://www.bardeen.ai/answers/what-are-the-limitations-of-deepseek
[8] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-06/deepseek-limits-access-to-ai-model-as-demand-strains-capacity
[9] https://www.reddit.com/r/LocalLLaMA/comments/1i9jre5/the_browser_version_of_deepseek_r1_allows_for/
[10] https://www.datacamp.com/tutorial/deepseek-api