Doubao

Site Overview

Doubao is an AI intelligent assistant launched by ByteDance, and one of the largest AI chat products in China by user base. It is available on web, app, and PC client. Daily chat, writing, web search, AI image generation, and video calls are still free. Starting June 2026, a new Pro version has been added, targeting heavy-use scenarios such as office automation, PPT generation, and data analysis. Core features of the free version are unaffected.

Core Features

1. Intelligent Chat + Deep Thinking + Expert Mode

AI chat is the basic capability: Q&A, translation, copywriting, coding, and summarization all work. With Deep Thinking enabled, complex logic and multi-step reasoning become more stable. Expert Mode uses the Doubao 2.1 series flagship model, suitable for tasks that require “thinking a few steps ahead,” such as industry analysis, proposal planning, and academic review.

2. Web Search + Multimodal Creation

Built-in web search makes looking up news, policies, and real-time information more reliable than relying solely on training data. Text-to-image, AI video generation, and photo recognition are all within the free tier. It can also do AI PPT, AI spreadsheets, document deep reading, and in-depth research—taking you from idea to finished product in one app.

3. Voice Calls + Video Calls (Visual Understanding)

Supports voice calls and video calls. Video calls can “see” your screen—point your camera at a scenic spot while traveling and ask about its history, take a photo of a calculus problem and ask for a solution, or screenshot code and ask for debugging help. Combined with web search, real-time accuracy is good. There is also a special discount program for visually impaired users.

4. Office Task Mode: From “Answering Questions” to “Working Autonomously”

The major 2026 capability is Office Task Mode (Agent). Give it a goal, and Doubao will break down the task, operate a browser, control a local computer (with authorization), generate PPT/Word/spreadsheets, and even deploy web applications with databases.

Pricing Model

What can you do for free? Officially confirmed: search Q&A, writing and image generation, voice and video conversations, and other daily features remain free.

What does Pro buy? Higher quotas + stronger models + priority during peak times. For high-compute scenarios such as Office Tasks, complex PPTs, data analysis, and app development, the free quota is likely to run out quickly.

Pricing may change; please refer to the in-app subscription page or Doubao Paid Service Statement.

Comparison with Similar Platforms

Unique Advantages

1. 345 million monthly active users—the largest user base among domestic free AI tools, leading to fast model iteration and a rapid data feedback loop.
2. Most comprehensive free features—image generation, video, PPT, calls, and Expert Mode are still free, more generous than many competitors.
3. Office Task Mode is a true Agent: it can operate a local computer and generate web applications, not just chat.

Practical Highlights

• Video calls + visual understanding enable real-time Q&A with physical objects, practical for travel, learning, and debugging.
• Strong ecosystem potential with ByteDance (Douyin, Feishu, etc.), with built-in online documents/spreadsheets/PPT in the office suite.

Objective Limitations

1. Office Task Mode is mainly on PC/web; mobile experience is limited. Complex tasks occasionally produce AI hallucinations, and deliverables require human review.
2. Pro version at up to ¥500/month is significantly more expensive than Kimi (¥99) and Zhipu (¥39), positioning it toward heavy office use.

Side-by-Side Comparison

FAQ

1. Is Doubao still free?
Daily features remain free. Chat, search, writing, image generation, video generation, Expert Mode, AI PPT, and voice/video calls have not been removed. The Pro version launched in June 2026 is an incremental subscription, not a lock on previously free features.

2. Is the Pro version at ¥68 worth it?
It depends on whether you use Office Task Mode. If you frequently have AI make PPTs, process Excel files, generate web apps, or run complex data analysis, the ¥68 buys you 5x+ quota + 2.1 Pro model + no queue. For occasional chat and copywriting, the free version is sufficient.

3. What is the difference between Office Task Mode and Expert Mode?
Expert Mode = stronger reasoning and higher-quality answers, suitable for analysis, planning, and argumentation. Office Task Mode = Agent capability: give it a goal and it directly produces a deliverable (PPT, spreadsheet, website), suitable for “assigning work” rather than “Q&A.” The two can be used together.

4. Is there a student discount?
Yes. After completing student verification: free quota becomes 2.5x; Standard Plan is ¥38/month (original ¥68). On the desktop client, send “我要领取学生优惠” or go to Settings → Pro subscription → Student benefits entry to verify.

5. How does Doubao compare with ChatGPT?
For Chinese context, searching domestic information, and voice/video calls, Doubao is more practical and offers more generous free quota. ChatGPT still has advantages in plugin ecosystem, English capability, and global model iteration. Many users use both.

6. How do I use video calls?
In the app, tap “Call” → switch to the Video button. Point your camera at the scene and ask questions in real time; Doubao uses a visual understanding model to analyze. It works for travel guidance, homework help by taking photos, and analyzing charts.

7. Are the generated PPTs/documents reliable?
Office Task Mode is good enough for daily PPT and Excel use, but AI hallucinations still exist—data, citations, and details may be wrong. For important deliverables, always review them manually. Treat it as a “highly efficient intern” rather than a “ready-to-ship product.”