Doubao may be nearing the end of its free-first phase.
In May, reports that ByteDance’s chatbot Doubao would introduce a paid subscription service drew broad market attention. An updated subscription plan shown in Doubao’s listing on Apple’s app store listed four tiers: free, RMB 68 (USD 10), RMB 200 (USD 29.5), and RMB 500 (USD 73.8) per month. The annual prices were reportedly free, RMB 688 (USD 101.5), RMB 2,048 (USD 302.1), and RMB 5,088 (USD 750.6).
Doubao later said free services have always been part of its plan. On top of those services, it also intends to explore more value-added content to meet different user needs.
But according to 36Kr, the subscription plan was only an early step in Doubao’s commercialization. In the coming quarter, Doubao will continue pushing ahead with its monetization rollout. A person familiar with the matter said Doubao is expected to officially launch paid content later this month and provide updates on related features at Volcano Engine’s Force Conference, which will be held around the same time. 36Kr added that the timing may have been chosen because Doubao’s PC and mobile versions still need about a month to adapt their basic functions and billing systems.
