The best Chinese AI app for business work is Qwen Chat from Alibaba, because it's free, it works in English and it runs the strongest Chinese model I've tested.
DeepSeek comes second for cheap automation, and Kimi comes third for research reports and slide decks.
I run a seven-figure SEO agency, and I test AI tools against the work my team actually does every week.
So this ranking is built around one question, which is which Chinese AI app helps a business get real work done.
You'll get the ranked list first, then the business jobs each app is best at, then the privacy rules I follow before any client data goes near them.
Top 3 Picks For Business At A Glance
- 🥇 Qwen Chat is the best Chinese AI app for business overall, because it handles writing, analysis and coding for free in English.
- 🥈 DeepSeek is the best Chinese AI app for cheap automation, because its API costs a fraction of most frontier models.
- 🥉 Kimi is the best Chinese AI app for client research, reports and slide decks.
How I Ranked These Apps For Business Use
I judged every app by how much useful work it could take off a small team.
I looked at output quality, using real GoldieBench scores for the model behind each app where I have them.
I looked at whether a team outside China can sign up and use it in English.
I looked at cost, because a tool that saves an hour but costs more than the hour isn't a win.
I also looked at data risk, because one leaked client file can cost you more than every tool on this list.
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The 10 Best Chinese AI Apps For Business, Ranked
1. Qwen Chat (Alibaba)
Qwen Chat is Alibaba's free web assistant, and it's the app I'd hand to a new team member first.
The Qwen 3.8 family behind it scores 8.10 on GoldieBench, the best of any fully tested Chinese model.
Best for: Drafting content, analysing data and quick coding jobs.
Price: It's free on the web.
2. DeepSeek (DeepSeek)
DeepSeek is a free chat app with one of the cheapest APIs in AI behind it.
DeepSeek released V4.1-Flash on 10 September 2026, and its weights are open under the MIT licence.
Best for: High-volume automations where cost per task matters.
Price: The app is free, and V4.1-Flash is listed at $0.15 per million input tokens on OpenRouter.
3. Kimi (Moonshot AI)
Kimi runs Kimi K3, which scores 7.89 on GoldieBench, and it has Slides, Deep Research, Docs and Scheduled tasks built in.
Best for: Client research reports, proposals and slide decks.
Price: It has a free tier and paid memberships.
4. Z.ai Chat (Zhipu)
Z.ai is Zhipu's free international chat app, and it currently runs GLM-5.3-Flash.
GLM-5.2 scores 7.77 on GoldieBench, and the weights are open under the MIT licence.
Best for: Teams that want a free chat now and a self-hosted option later.
Price: The web chat is free.
5. Hailuo AI and MiniMax Agent (MiniMax)
Hailuo AI is MiniMax's video app, and MiniMax Agent is its general AI agent.
Hailuo now runs MiniMax H3, and the MiniMax M3 language model scores 7.97 on GoldieBench.
Best for: Short video ads, B-roll and social clips.
Price: Hailuo uses credits with paid plans.
6. LongCat (Meituan)
LongCat is Meituan's free chat app, and its open LongCat-2.0 model averages 8.12 on GoldieBench across four tasks.
Best for: Testing a strong free model before you commit to a paid one.
Price: The web chat is free.
7. MiMo Studio (Xiaomi)
MiMo Studio is Xiaomi's web app for its open-weight MiMo-V2.6 models.
MiMo-V2.6 Pro scores 6.35 on GoldieBench and costs $0.435 per million input tokens.
Best for: Cheap background tasks such as tagging, sorting and summarising.
Price: You pay per token through the API.
8. Yuanbao (Tencent)
Yuanbao is Tencent's assistant inside the WeChat world.
Best for: Businesses that sell into China and already work in WeChat.
Price: It's free to use in China.
9. Doubao and Dola (ByteDance)
Doubao is ByteDance's assistant in China, and Dola, formerly called Cici, is its separate overseas app.
Best for: Chinese-speaking teams and research into the Chinese market.
Price: It's free to use.
10. Baidu's Wenxin Assistant (Baidu)
Baidu's assistant runs the ERNIE models, including ERNIE 5.1 from May 2026.
Best for: Chinese-language search research.
Price: It's free to try.
The Best Chinese AI Apps For Business Compared
| App | Best business job | English for teams abroad | Cost to start | GoldieBench score of the model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qwen Chat | Content, analysis and coding | Yes | Free | 8.10 (Qwen 3.8) |
| DeepSeek | Cheap automation | Yes | Free app, cheap API | Not scored yet |
| Kimi | Research, reports and slides | Yes | Free tier | 7.89 (K3) |
| Z.ai | Free chat with a self-host option | Yes | Free | 7.77 (GLM-5.2) |
| Hailuo and MiniMax Agent | Video ads and creative | Yes | Credits | 7.97 (M3) |
| LongCat | Free trials of a strong model | Yes | Free | 8.12 (4 tasks) |
| MiMo Studio | Cheap background tasks | Yes | Pay per token | 6.35 (Pro) |
| Yuanbao | Selling into China via WeChat | Mainly Chinese | Free in China | 6.76 (Hy3, 7 tasks) |
| Doubao and Dola | Chinese market research | Dola only | Free | Not on the board |
| Baidu's assistant | Chinese search research | Mainly Chinese | Free to try | Not on the board |
🔥 Want to see how I turn these apps into business systems? Inside the AI Profit Boardroom, I show you the exact AI workflows I use for content, research and client delivery. You get four coaching calls a week with 3,400+ members. → Get access here
How A Business Actually Uses The Best Chinese AI App
Here's how I'd put each of the top apps to work in a real business.
Use case 1: Turn one video into a week of content with Qwen Chat
Paste a video transcript into Qwen Chat and ask it for a blog outline, five social posts and an email.
Then edit each one in your own voice before it goes out.
This is the simplest win, because it turns one piece of work into many.
Use case 2: Build client research reports with Kimi
Use Kimi's Deep Research on a client's market, competitors or industry.
Then use Slides to turn the report into a deck for your next client call.
You still check every fact, but the first draft is done for you.
Use case 3: Run cheap automations on DeepSeek
If you run automations that process hundreds of items a day, the model bill adds up fast.
DeepSeek's API is one of the cheapest ways to run those jobs, which is why I've used it as an agent brain for months.
When I tested DeepSeek V4 Pro, cache hits made each repeated agent step cost a tiny fraction of a cent.
Use case 4: Make video ads with Hailuo
Hailuo's H3 model turns one line of text into a 2K clip with sound inside it.
I used it to shoot the B-roll for a full AI avatar video, and my whole test day cost a few dollars.
That makes it a cheap way to test ad creative before you spend on a real shoot.
Use case 5: Research the Chinese market with Doubao or Yuanbao
If you sell into China, the China-first apps show you what Chinese users actually see.
You'll need someone who reads Chinese, but the insight is worth it for that market.
What The Best Chinese AI App Costs A Small Business
Most of these apps are free to start, which means your first test costs you nothing but time.
The real costs show up when you move from the app to the API for automation.
Here's how the API prices compare for the models I've tested.
| Model | Maker | API input price per million tokens |
|---|---|---|
| DeepSeek V4.1-Flash | DeepSeek | $0.15 on OpenRouter |
| Hy3 | Tencent | $0.14 |
| MiniMax M3 | MiniMax | $0.30 |
| MiMo-V2.6 Pro | Xiaomi | $0.435 |
| Kimi K3 | Moonshot AI | $3 |
For comparison, Claude Opus 5 is $5 per million input tokens on the same leaderboard.
That gap is why so many automations now run on Chinese models in the background.
If you're new to automation, my guide to AI automation for small business shows you where to start.
The Privacy Rules I Follow With Chinese AI Apps
This is the part most business owners skip, and it's the part that can hurt you.
DeepSeek's privacy policy says user data is stored on servers in China.
Several governments, including Australia, have banned DeepSeek on official devices, and Italy's data protection authority limited its processing of Italian users' data in January 2025.
So here are my rules for any business using these apps.
I never paste client data, logins or private documents into any consumer chat app.
I check client contracts first, because some clients ban Chinese AI services entirely.
I use these apps for public work, such as drafting content or researching public topics.
When I need a Chinese model on private data, I run the open weights on my own machine or through a host I trust.
💡 Want the private, local version of this setup? The AI Profit Boardroom shows you how to run open models on your own computer, so client data never leaves your business. Join 3,400+ members and four weekly coaching calls. → Join the AI Profit Boardroom
Which Chinese AI App Should Your Business Use?
If you only pick one, pick Qwen Chat, because it covers the widest range of everyday business work for free.
Add DeepSeek when you start running automations and the bill starts to matter.
Add Kimi when client research and presentations take up a big chunk of your week.
Add Hailuo if video is part of your marketing.
If you're building an agency around these tools, my guide on how to start an AI agency shows you the bigger picture.
Related Reading
- AI automation for small business shows you the first automations worth building.
- How to start an AI agency explains how to package these tools into a service.
- AI side hustles that work covers honest ways to use AI apps for extra income.
Also On Our Network
- 🌐 A step-by-step setup for the top three Chinese AI apps
- 🌐 The full scored ranking of ten Chinese AI apps
- 🌐 How Chinese AI models fit inside an Agent OS
- 🌐 Real benchmark scores for the models behind each app
FAQ: Best Chinese AI App For Business
What is the best Chinese AI app for business?
Qwen Chat from Alibaba is the best Chinese AI app for business.
It's free, it works in English, and the Qwen 3.8 family behind it scores 8.10 on GoldieBench.
Can an agency use Chinese AI apps for client work?
Yes, an agency can use them for work that contains no confidential data.
Don't paste client data, logins or private documents into any consumer chat app, and check your client contracts first.
Which Chinese AI app is best for video ads?
Hailuo AI from MiniMax is the best Chinese AI app for video.
It now runs MiniMax H3, which turns one line of text into a 2K clip with sound included.
Is DeepSeek cheaper than ChatGPT for automation?
DeepSeek's API is far cheaper than most frontier models.
V4.1-Flash is listed at $0.15 per million input tokens on OpenRouter, but you should always test quality on your own tasks first.
Will a Chinese AI app make my business money?
No app makes money on its own.
These apps cut the time and cost of your work, and the money comes from what you do with the time you save.
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About Julian
I'm Julian Goldie, an SEO entrepreneur, author and founder of the AI Profit Boardroom, which has 3,400+ members.
I help business owners scale with AI agents, automation and SEO.
- I've built Goldie Agency into a seven-figure SEO and link building agency.
- I've grown my YouTube channel to 400,000+ subscribers.
- I run GoldieBench, where I score AI models on real one-shot builds.
- I wrote "Link Building Mastery", which is available on Amazon.
→ Get my best AI training inside the AI Profit Boardroom
Start with Qwen Chat this week, keep client data out of it, and you'll be using the best Chinese AI app for business the right way.
