Qwen Chat: the free assistant for Alibaba's Qwen models
Qwen Chat is the consumer assistant for Alibaba's Qwen models, available on the web, on mobile and on desktop. Its maker describes it as free and open to everyone, with a broad toolkit: search, images, video and website building.
Data as of October 22, 2026
Key figures
| Developer | Alibaba (équipe Qwen) |
|---|---|
| Country | China |
| Launched | Not disclosed |
| Free version | Yes |
| Official website | chat.qwen.ai |
Features
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Web search | Yes |
| Agent mode | Not disclosed |
| File upload | Yes |
| Image generation | Yes |
| Voice mode | Not disclosed |
| Memory | Not disclosed |
| Code execution | Not disclosed |
| Autonomous browsing | Not disclosed |
Where to use it
| Where to use it | |
|---|---|
| Web | Yes |
| iPhone | Yes |
| Android | Yes |
| Windows | Yes |
| macOS | Yes |
| Browser extension | Not disclosed |
| French interface | Not disclosed |
| Spanish interface | Not disclosed |
Privacy
| Privacy | |
|---|---|
| Opt out of training on your chats | Not disclosed |
| Temporary chat | Not disclosed |
| EU data residency | No |
A full-featured assistant with no visible subscription
Qwen Chat is the showcase for the Qwen AI models built by Alibaba, including the Qwen3.8 series. Its homepage sums it up: an AI assistant « for everyone », free and open to all. Apps are available on the web, on iOS and Android, and on Windows and macOS.
The advertised features cover a lot of ground:
- a Thinking mode for questions that call for step-by-step reasoning;
- web search and a Deep Research mode for more thorough reports;
- Web Dev and Artifacts, which build a web page or small program displayed next to the chat;
- image generation and editing, plus video generation;
- multimodal understanding, meaning it can analyze images and documents as well as text.
As of October 22, 2026, no paid consumer plan appears on the official pages. Alibaba does not publish usage limits either, so it is safest to assume they exist for the most demanding features, such as video.
Your data: Singapore and model training
Privacy is the part to read before you dive in. Under the policy in force since September 7, 2026, the service is run by NTH POWER GLOBAL TECH SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., data is stored in Singapore, and Alibaba Cloud (Singapore) supplies the infrastructure and models. The policy states that de-identified content and your feedback may be used to improve the models.
There is no documented training opt-out switch, but the policy mentions safeguards for transfers from the European Union and a GDPR-style right to object. In practice, keep confidential documents, health data and information about other people out of it.
Who it suits, and what to compare it with
Qwen Chat works well for trying Alibaba’s models at no cost, prototyping a web page or experimenting with images and video. It is less clear on privacy guarantees than services that offer a simple toggle. If that matters to you, compare it with Mistral’s Le Chat or browse the AI assistants comparison. The official Qwen page lists the current features.
Models used
- Qwen3.8
Strengths
writing · coding · creating images
Comparisons
AI assistants
- Apple Intelligence et Siri AI · Apple
- Brave Leo · Brave Software
- Character.AI · Character Technologies, Inc.
- ChatGPT · OpenAI
- Claude · Anthropic
- Microsoft Copilot · Microsoft
Frequently asked questions
Is Qwen Chat really free?
Alibaba presents Qwen as free and open to everyone, and no paid consumer plan appears on the official pages as of October 22, 2026. Usage limits may still apply even though they are not spelled out.
Who runs Qwen Chat and where is my data stored?
The service is operated by a Singapore company, NTH POWER GLOBAL TECH SINGAPORE, and data is stored in Singapore. Alibaba Cloud (Singapore) provides the infrastructure and the models.
Are my chats used to train the models?
The privacy policy says de-identified content and your feedback may be used for training. It does not describe an opt-out toggle, but it does mention a right to object.
Can I use Qwen Chat in Europe or the UK?
Yes. The assistant is reachable from Europe, and the privacy policy describes safeguards for transfers of data out of the EU. Your data is still hosted in Singapore.
Data sources
Data as of October 22, 2026
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