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Developer Tools · head to head

Deep Code vs Proto.io

Deep Code logo

Deep Code

Developer Tools

Desktop AI coding assistant that runs on DeepSeek models

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Deep CodeFull review
Proto.io logo

Proto.io

Design

Hosted high-fidelity prototyping with device preview and no code

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit Proto.ioFull review

The short version

  • Deep Code starts at $5/mo; Proto.io prices on request.
  • Only Deep Code lists DeepSeek-backed agent; only Proto.io lists event and condition system.
  • Where Deep Code falls short: the Pro tier caps included usage at 100 Pro Credits per day rather than offering an unmetered plan.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Deep Code and Proto.io actually diverge.

Attributes where Deep Code and Proto.io differ
AttributeDeep CodeProto.io
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFreemiumPer user per month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsDesign

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Deep Code

  • DeepSeek-backed agent
  • Session management
  • File explorer
  • Snippets panel
  • Voice input
  • Bring your own key

Only in Proto.io

  • Event and condition system
  • Timeline animation
  • Device preview
  • Component library
  • User testing integration
  • Design import

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Deep Code

  • AI-assisted coding on a budgetnot Proto.io
  • Debugging and bug fixingnot Proto.io
  • Refactoring existing codenot Proto.io
  • Reusing prompt templates across projectsnot Proto.io
  • Using an existing DeepSeek API key without proxy setupnot Proto.io

Proto.io

  • Running usability tests where the prototype must respond to real input rather than replay a fixed click pathnot Deep Code
  • Demonstrating a form-heavy or data-driven flow to stakeholders before any code existsnot Deep Code
  • Testing a mobile interaction on the physical device it is designed for, with correct gesture behaviournot Deep Code
  • Validating a concept for a client who needs to feel the product, not watch a video of itnot Deep Code

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Deep Code

  • Model choice is narrow. Bring your own key covers DeepSeek-V4-Pro and Flash plus the GLM and Mimo coding plans, and no frontier model from OpenAI, Anthropic or Google
  • The Pro tier caps included usage at 100 Pro Credits per day rather than offering an unmetered plan
  • Bring your own key is a paid feature, so the free tier cannot be pointed at your own DeepSeek account
  • Desktop only, with no editor extension, web version or team seat management as of September 2026
  • A small, young vendor with no independent review coverage yet, so there is nothing outside the vendor's own site to corroborate the cost claim

Proto.io

  • Prototypes live in the vendor cloud and offline export is a higher-tier feature, so the ability to archive completed client work is a plan-level decision rather than a given
  • Design is done elsewhere and interaction is rebuilt here, so every change to the visual design has to be reapplied by hand and the two artefacts drift apart
  • The event and condition model is layer based, so a genuinely complex flow becomes a large tree of triggers that nobody but its author can audit
  • Editor seats are priced individually and viewer access is limited on lower plans, so opening review to a wide stakeholder group pushes you up a tier for people who never edit anything
  • The market standardised on Figma, so hiring people who already know Proto.io is progressively harder and every new researcher is a training cost

Pricing, plan by plan

Deep Code

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Session management
    • File explorer and snippets panel
    • Voice input
  • Pro$5/mo
    • All Free features
    • 100 daily Pro Credits
    • BYOK across DeepSeek-V4-Pro, DeepSeek-V4-Flash, GLM Coding Plan and Mimo Coding Plan

Proto.io

On request
  • FreelancerOn request
    • Single editor
    • Limited active projects
    • Standard sharing
  • StartupOn request
    • Multiple editors
    • More projects
    • Team library
  • AgencyOn request
    • Higher project and storage limits
    • Client sharing controls
  • CorporateOn request
    • Largest quotas
    • Offline export on higher tiers
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Deep Code if

  • You need deepseek-backed agent.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want session management.
Deep Code review

Choose Proto.io if

  • You need event and condition system.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want timeline animation.
Proto.io review

Questions people ask

Is Deep Code or Proto.io better?
Neither clearly leads. Deep Code starts at Free and Proto.io at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Deep Code or Proto.io?
Deep Code has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Deep Code and On request for Proto.io.
Does Deep Code or Proto.io run on more platforms?
Deep Code runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Proto.io runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Deep Code for free?
Yes. Deep Code has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Proto.io starts at On request.
What is Deep Code best used for?
Deep Code is most often used for ai-assisted coding on a budget, debugging and bug fixing, refactoring existing code, reusing prompt templates across projects. Of those, ai-assisted coding on a budget and debugging and bug fixing are not what Proto.io is typically brought in for.
What can Deep Code do that Proto.io cannot?
Deep Code covers DeepSeek-backed agent, Session management, File explorer, Snippets panel. Proto.io covers Event and condition system, Timeline animation, Device preview, Component library.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Deep Code: Which models does Deep Code run on?

DeepSeek V4 family models, with the vendor's headline built around DeepSeek V4.1. The free tier's included credits run on DeepSeek-V4-Flash. Paid users bringing their own key can also use DeepSeek-V4-Pro, the GLM Coding Plan and the Mimo Coding Plan.

Source
Proto.io: Can it replace Figma?

No. It has no design system or file-handoff role. It sits alongside Figma for the prototypes Figma cannot express.

Deep Code: What does Deep Code cost?

There are two tiers. Free is $0 per month and includes session management, the file explorer, snippets, voice input and weekly free credits on DeepSeek-V4-Flash. Pro is $5 per month and adds 100 daily Pro Credits plus bring-your-own-key support for multiple models.

Source
Proto.io: What happens to prototypes if we stop paying?

They stop being accessible unless you have exported them, and offline export is restricted to higher plans, so plan archiving before you cancel.

Deep Code: Do I need my own API key to use it?

No. The free tier includes weekly credits and needs no credit card, so the app works without a key. Bring your own key is available on the $5 per month Pro tier and covers DeepSeek-V4-Pro, DeepSeek-V4-Flash, the GLM Coding Plan and the Mimo Coding Plan.

Source
Proto.io: Is it worth learning now that InVision has gone?

If your work is usability research on conditional flows, yes. If you need click-through demos of static screens, Figma already does that at no extra cost.

Deep Code: Which operating systems does it run on?

Windows, macOS and Linux. It is a desktop application rather than an editor extension, so it runs alongside whatever editor you already use.

Source
Deep Code: Is the 95 percent cheaper claim independently verified?

No. It is the vendor's own figure, based on DeepSeek token pricing against frontier model pricing. Actual savings depend on which model you compare against and how much of your usage falls inside the included credits.

Source
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