ByteDance's Doubao AI chatbot launches paid plans with 3 tiers from $9.40/month

ByteDance's AI assistant Doubao is reportedly launching paid subscription plans in late June, coinciding with feature updates announced at its upcoming Force conference, according to a report by 36Kr. The PC and mobile versions are still completing billing system integration, expected to take about a month. Doubao has listed three subscription tiers on the Apple App Store: a Standard plan at 68 yuan ($9.40) per month, an Enhanced plan at 200 yuan ($27.70) per month, and a Professional plan at 500 yuan ($69.20) per month. Paid features will focus on advanced productivity tools including presentation generation, data analysis, and video production, while basic chatbot services will remain free.

ByteDance plans to expand paid use cases in the third quarter by integrating e-commerce-related features and supporting traffic generation for Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. This move aims to move Doubao into a more stable operating phase by the fourth quarter. The subscription model positions Doubao to compete with other AI assistants like ChatGPT and Baidu's Ernie Bot, leveraging ByteDance's ecosystem to offer unique value through integration with Douyin's massive user base.