kitio.aiERNIE vs AI21
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. ERNIE starts at See pricing page and AI21 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
- Multiple model generations
- Multimodal ERNIE 5.0
- ERNIE-Image generation
- Developer API
- Research and technical blog
- Jamba Mini and Jamba Large APIs
- Long-context models
- Custom post-training
- Python SDK
- Free trial credits
| Feature | ERNIE | AI21 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Baidu's family of large language and multimodal models | Jamba model APIs and custom post-training for enterprises |
| Category | Models & APIs | Models & APIs |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free trial |
| Starting price | See pricing page | See pricing page |
| Free plan | Yes | No, 7-day trial |
| Made by | Baidu | AI21 Labs |
| Based in | China | Israel |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
ERNIE starts at See pricing page and AI21 starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Jamba Mini
$0.2 / 1M input tokens
- $0.4 per 1M output tokens
- Lightweight general model
Jamba Large
$2 / 1M input tokens
- $8 per 1M output tokens
- Long-context model
Custom
Contact sales
- Volume discounts
- Dedicated account manager
- Priority support
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
ERNIE
- Strong Chinese-language performance
- Several model sizes to choose from
- Some versions released as open weights
- API pricing not shown on the main site
- Documentation leans toward Chinese users
AI21
- Low per-token price on Jamba Mini
- Long context windows
- Customer owns its post-trained model
- Trial credits expire after 7 days
- Smaller ecosystem than larger model labs
- Post-training requires a sales process
Which one should you choose?
Choose ERNIE if you want:
- Strong Chinese-language performance
- Several model sizes to choose from
- Some versions released as open weights
Watch out: api pricing not shown on the main site.
Choose AI21 if you want:
- Low per-token price on Jamba Mini
- Long context windows
- Customer owns its post-trained model
Watch out: trial credits expire after 7 days.
ERNIE vs AI21 FAQ
What is the difference between ERNIE and AI21?
ERNIE: Baidu's family of large language and multimodal models. AI21: Jamba model APIs and custom post-training for enterprises. Both are models & apis tools.
Is ERNIE or AI21 cheaper?
ERNIE starts at See pricing page and AI21 starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do ERNIE and AI21 have free plans?
ERNIE: Yes. AI21: No, 7-day trial.
Who makes ERNIE?
ERNIE is made by Baidu, based in China.
Who makes AI21?
AI21 is made by AI21 Labs, based in Israel.
Which should I choose, ERNIE or AI21?
Choose ERNIE if you value strong chinese-language performance and several model sizes to choose from. Choose AI21 if you value low per-token price on jamba mini and long context windows.