Google AI Studio vs ERNIE
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Google AI Studio starts at See pricing page and ERNIE 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
- Prompt playground
- Gemini API keys
- Live voice and video API
- App builder
- Code export
- Multiple model generations
- Multimodal ERNIE 5.0
- ERNIE-Image generation
- Developer API
- Research and technical blog
| Feature | Google AI Studio | ERNIE |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Free playground and API keys for Google's Gemini and Gemma models | Baidu's family of large language and multimodal models |
| Category | Models & APIs | Models & APIs |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | See pricing page | See pricing page |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Baidu | |
| Based in | United States | China |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Google AI Studio starts at See pricing page and ERNIE starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
2 plans
Free
Free
- Free AI Studio access
- Free API tier with rate limits
Paid tier
Pay-as-you-go per token
- Higher rate limits
- Billed via Google Cloud
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Google AI Studio
- Generous free tier
- Long context and multimodal input
- Fast path from prompt to code
- Free tier data may be used to improve products
- Fewer enterprise controls
- Quota changes happen often
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
Which one should you choose?
Choose Google AI Studio if you want:
- Generous free tier
- Long context and multimodal input
- Fast path from prompt to code
Watch out: free tier data may be used to improve products.
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.
Google AI Studio vs ERNIE FAQ
What is the difference between Google AI Studio and ERNIE?
Google AI Studio: Free playground and API keys for Google's Gemini and Gemma models. ERNIE: Baidu's family of large language and multimodal models. Both are models & apis tools.
Is Google AI Studio or ERNIE cheaper?
Google AI Studio starts at See pricing page and ERNIE starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Google AI Studio and ERNIE have free plans?
Google AI Studio: Yes. ERNIE: Yes.
Who makes Google AI Studio?
Google AI Studio is made by Google, based in United States.
Who makes ERNIE?
ERNIE is made by Baidu, based in China.
Which should I choose, Google AI Studio or ERNIE?
Choose Google AI Studio if you value generous free tier and long context and multimodal input. Choose ERNIE if you value strong chinese-language performance and several model sizes to choose from.