# Tokens & usage Read usage fields and understand the difference between request size and plan allowance. ## What counts as a token? A tokenizer splits text into units processed by the model. A token is not a fixed number of words or characters. Code, punctuation, languages and model tokenizers can produce different counts for similar-looking text. Use returned usage for a request-level view rather than character estimates. For billing questions, also check the provider's accounting rules and usage records. ## Read the usage object For a non-streaming Chat Completions response, inspect the `usage` object. Field availability can vary by provider. | Field | Meaning | | --- | --- | | `prompt_tokens` | Tokens in the request context | | `completion_tokens` | Tokens generated for the response | | `total_tokens` | Combined prompt and completion usage | Messages from earlier turns count as input again when sent in a new request. Tool definitions, tool results and other supported inputs can also contribute to context usage. ## Context size and allowance Context size limits how much a model can process in one request. A plan allowance limits consumption over a time window. A request can fit the model's context but exceed your plan's remaining allowance, or fail the context limit while you still have allowance left. ## Cached input and plan tokens An official API cache discount concerns the provider's price calculation. Plan tokens may use a different conversion rule. Do not subtract cached tokens or assume they are free unless your plan explicitly says so. See [usage and limits](https://deepseeksub.com/docs/usage-limits/index.md) for the site's reference plan rules. ## Keep requests efficient - Send only the context needed for the current task. - Avoid repeatedly attaching large generated files or logs. - Keep output requests focused and set supported output limits where appropriate. - Compare a small representative workload before changing model or plan. Reference: [DeepSeek token usage documentation](https://api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/token_usage/). --- HTML source: [Tokens & usage — DeepSeek Subscription Tutorials](https://deepseeksub.com/docs/token-usage/)