Baidu Qianfan vs Kie.ai
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Baidu Qianfan starts at See pricing page and Kie.ai starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- ERNIE model access
- Third-party models like DeepSeek
- Function calling
- Structured output
- Visual understanding models
- Seat and member key management
- Single API for many models
- Video and image generation APIs
- Chat model API
- Credits that never expire
- No charge for failed tasks
| Feature | Baidu Qianfan | Kie.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Baidu AI Cloud platform for ERNIE and other models via API | One API key for third-party video, image, music and chat models |
| Category | Models & APIs | Models & APIs |
| Pricing model | Paid | Free trial |
| Starting price | See pricing page | See pricing page |
| Free plan | No | No, trial available |
| Made by | Baidu | Kie.ai |
| Based in | China | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Baidu Qianfan starts at See pricing page and Kie.ai starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
ERNIE 4.5 Turbo
$0.11 / 1M input tokens
- $0.45 per 1M output tokens
- 32K and 128K context versions
DeepSeek-V4-Flash
$0.14 / 1M input tokens
- $0.28 per 1M output tokens
- Cache hits at $0.028 per 1M
ERNIE 5.1
$0.56 / 1M input tokens
- $2.53 per 1M output tokens
- Higher rates above 32K input
Prices in USD, checked Nov 5, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Baidu Qianfan
- Low token prices on ERNIE Turbo models
- Several model families in one API
- Cached input is billed at a discount
- Documentation is sparse in English
- Prices change with input length
- Smaller ecosystem outside China
Kie.ai
- Cheaper than many official APIs
- Switch models with one parameter
- Failed generations are free
- Reseller, so features lag official APIs
- Per-model pricing takes time to compare
- No fixed monthly plan
Which one should you choose?
Choose Baidu Qianfan if you want:
- Low token prices on ERNIE Turbo models
- Several model families in one API
- Cached input is billed at a discount
Watch out: documentation is sparse in english.
Choose Kie.ai if you want:
- Cheaper than many official APIs
- Switch models with one parameter
- Failed generations are free
Watch out: reseller, so features lag official apis.
Baidu Qianfan vs Kie.ai FAQ
What is the difference between Baidu Qianfan and Kie.ai?
Baidu Qianfan: Baidu AI Cloud platform for ERNIE and other models via API. Kie.ai: One API key for third-party video, image, music and chat models. Both are models & apis tools.
Is Baidu Qianfan or Kie.ai cheaper?
Baidu Qianfan starts at See pricing page and Kie.ai starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Baidu Qianfan and Kie.ai have free plans?
Baidu Qianfan: No. Kie.ai: No, trial available.
Who makes Baidu Qianfan?
Baidu Qianfan is made by Baidu, based in China.
Who makes Kie.ai?
Kie.ai is made by Kie.ai.
Which should I choose, Baidu Qianfan or Kie.ai?
Choose Baidu Qianfan if you value low token prices on ernie turbo models and several model families in one api. Choose Kie.ai if you value cheaper than many official apis and switch models with one parameter.