The Qwen Studio Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Qwen Studio in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Qwen Studio
The Insider’s Guide
Alibaba Cloud's chat app for the Qwen family of AI models
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI assistants, read from Qwen Studio’s own pages.
Made by Alibaba Cloud · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Qwen Studio’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Qwen Studio’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 12 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade
Qwen Studio is Alibaba Cloud's chat app for its Qwen models, reached at chat.qwen.ai and in iOS and Android apps. It covers chat with a deep-thinking mode, web search, image and video understanding, image generation and editing, document processing, and voice and video chat. The apps are free to install; the web app also shows paid Go, Plus and Pro tiers, whose prices could not be confirmed.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Qwen Studio, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: a chat box on the web, or a free app on your phone.
- 1
Best for trying Alibaba's Qwen models in a chat app
Qwen Studio is where you chat with Alibaba's Qwen models, on the web or in a free phone app, with a Deep Thinking mode, web search, image making, and images, audio and video as input.
- 2
There is a free plan
The mobile apps are listed as free with no in-app purchases. The web app names a Free tier with standard usage limits beside Go, Plus and Pro tiers; their prices could not be read.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 4
Deep Thinking
A reasoning mode for complex problems that draws on real-time internet data to work toward a logical, step-by-step answer.
- 5
Search
Finds answers and resources from across the web, using the context of the query to narrow the results.
- 6
Multimodal understanding
Processes text, images, audio and video together, for example reading data from a chart or pulling key points from an audio clip.
- 7
A 2.4 GPA, above 12 of 57
That is against the other AI assistants we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Qwen Studio you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Qwen Studio at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Alibaba Cloud, since 2023
- Category
- AI Assistants
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for trying Alibaba's Qwen models in a chat app
Qwen Studio is where you chat with Alibaba's Qwen models, on the web or in a free phone app, with a Deep Thinking mode, web search, image making, and images, audio and video as input. The web app names paid Go, Plus and Pro tiers whose prices couldn't be confirmed, the free tier's limits have no numbers, there's no desktop app, and the iPhone app wasn't on the US App Store when checked.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | There's no price on record to judge. The web app names paid Go, Plus and Pro tiers, but its pricing view didn't load when read and the store listings show no in-app purchases. Unpriced is the ordinary place to sit, not a good one. |
| Free plan and trial | C | The phone apps are free with no in-app purchases and the web app names a Free tier, but that tier carries standard usage limits with no numbers beside them. Caps you can't see are caps you'll hit. |
| Features | B | A Deep Thinking mode, web search, image generation and editing, and it takes text, images, audio and video together. Broad enough to cover the job. Voice and video chat, document processing and artifacts are only names in a list of functions, with nothing showing how far each goes. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: a chat box on the web, or a free app on your phone. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web, iPhone, iPad and Android, and that's the end of it. No Mac or Windows app, no integrations and no API on the listing, and the iOS app wasn't on the US App Store when checked, though it is in Canada and the UK. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Qwen Studio is for
- Fits if you're curious about Alibaba's Qwen models and want them in a chat app
- Works for questions that come with a chart, a voice clip or a video, not only text
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want the price of the paid tiers in writing first, as none could be confirmed
- Not for you if you want a Mac or Windows app, because none is listed
- Tight if you're in the US with an iPhone, since the app wasn't on the US App Store when checked
- Watch out: the free tier's usage limits have no numbers, and the stores call it Qwen Studio while the site says Qwen
- Too light for linking to other tools, with no integrations and no API on the listing
Good to know
Good for
- People who want to use Alibaba's Qwen models in a chat app
- Working with images, audio and video as well as text
- Free everyday chat, search and image generation on a phone
Worth knowing
- Prices for the Go, Plus and Pro tiers could not be confirmed: the pricing view on chat.qwen.ai did not load when read, and the store listings show no in-app purchases.
- The iOS app was not found on the US App Store when checked, though it is listed in other storefronts such as Canada and the UK.
- No Windows or Mac app is listed; the store listings cover iPhone, iPad and Android.
- The app stores list the app as Qwen Studio, while the website's page title still reads Qwen.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Qwen Studio's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
The web app names paid Go, Plus and Pro tiers, but its pricing view didn't load when read and the store listings show no in-app purchases.
We could not confirm Qwen Studio’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. chat.qwen.ai has them.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Alibaba Cloud's chat app for the Qwen family of AI models. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, chat assistant, AI search.
A Deep Thinking mode, web search, image generation and editing, and it takes text, images, audio and video together.
- Deep Thinking
- A reasoning mode for complex problems that draws on real-time internet data to work toward a logical, step-by-step answer.
- Search
- Finds answers and resources from across the web, using the context of the query to narrow the results.
- Multimodal understanding
- Processes text, images, audio and video together, for example reading data from a chart or pulling key points from an audio clip.
- Image generation and editing
- Creates images from a description for presentations, illustrations or concept designs, and the site also lists image editing.
- Voice and video chat
- The site lists voice and video chat with the assistant among its functions, alongside document processing, tool use and artifacts.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Qwen Studio is made by Alibaba Cloud, and has been around since 2023.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
12/57
Other AI assistants it is graded above
Qwen Studio's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 12 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on features (B, above 28 of 57) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 2).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 58 AI assistants we grade, cut by the letter each got. Qwen Studio’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 57
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 57
- BFeaturesAbove 28 of 57
- BEase of useAbove 21 of 57
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 57
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Qwen Studio you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 35 of the 57 other AI assistants grade higher.
What you could not
- An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
- A search engine with an AI model behind it.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Qwen Studio’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
DeepSeek, Kimi, Z.ai, ChatGPT and Gemini
The 5 tools Qwen Studio is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
DeepSeek
Free
Free AI chat assistant built on DeepSeek's openly released models.
- Only DeepSeek lists macOS and Windows apps.
- DeepSeek is open source, according to its own site.
- DeepSeek also covers AI agents.
- 3.0GPA
Kimi
Free plan · from $15/mo
AI assistant and agent for research, slides, documents and code.
- Only Kimi lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Only Kimi lists a browser extension.
- Qwen Studio also covers AI search.
- 2.6GPA
Z.ai
Free plan · from $12.60/mo
Chat assistant and agent built on Z.ai's GLM models.
- Only Qwen Studio lists iOS and Android apps.
- Z.ai also covers AI agents, app builder and presentations.
- 3.4GPA
ChatGPT
Free plan · from $8/mo
OpenAI's general-purpose AI assistant for chat, images and voice.
- Only ChatGPT lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- 3.8GPA
Gemini
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Google's AI assistant, tied into Gmail, Docs and other Google apps.
- Only Gemini lists macOS and Windows apps.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
9
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Qwen Studio free?
Qwen Studio has a free plan. The mobile apps are listed as free with no in-app purchases.
What platforms does Qwen Studio work on?
Qwen Studio is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Qwen Studio have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Qwen Studio is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Qwen Studio have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Qwen Studio is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Qwen Studio open source?
Qwen Studio is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Who makes Qwen Studio?
Qwen Studio is made by Alibaba Cloud. It dates from 2023.
What are the alternatives to Qwen Studio?
The closest alternatives to Qwen Studio in our directory are DeepSeek, Kimi, Z.ai, ChatGPT and Gemini.
How does Qwen Studio compare with other AI assistants?
Qwen Studio's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 12 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 10.
Could I make my own version of Qwen Studio?
To replace Qwen Studio you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Qwen Studio’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Qwen Studio's own pages on 5 October 2026. The prices of its paid tiers could not be read then, and a fresh look at its site on 9 October showed none either. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-21.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Alibaba Cloud. Prices change, so check chat.qwen.ai before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Qwen Studio, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/qwen
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Qwen Studio: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/qwen
Know someone choosing between AI assistants?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/qwen/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded AI assistants after Qwen Studio, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Assistants Insider's GuideEvery one of the 58 AI assistants we grade, compared
- Gemini Insider's GuideGoogle's AI assistant, tied into Gmail, Docs and other Google apps3.8 GPA
- Chatbox Insider's GuideAI chat client for your own API keys or a hosted model plan3.4 GPA
- ChatGPT Insider's GuideOpenAI's general-purpose AI assistant for chat, images and voice3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Qwen Studio’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Qwen Studio is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Alibaba Cloud. Prices and plans change: check chat.qwen.ai before you buy.