QwenFree plan
Pricing
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View plans and limitsUpdated 4 September 2026 · Independent comparison
Qwen vs TextCortex:
which should you use?
Qwen and TextCortex, side by side. Find the one that fits what you need to do.
Find your best fitThe 30-second answer
Qwen among the best open options for multilingual drafting and translation, especially across Asian languages.
TextCortex a browser extension that writes inside whatever site you are already in, rather than a separate window you paste between.
Pricing, simplified
Start free. Upgrade when you need more.
TextCortexFree plan
Paid from
$29.99 a month
View plans and limitsThe 30-second comparison
If you only read one section, make it this one. Rows where both sides say the same thing are left out — the point is where they differ. Where each row came from is listed underneath.
| Category | Qwen | TextCortex | Better fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it's built for | Among the best open options for multilingual drafting and translation, especially across Asian languages. | A browser extension that writes inside whatever site you are already in, rather than a separate window you paste between. | Tie |
| Free plan | Yes. Free to use, weights downloadable | Yes. Free tier with a daily creation allowance and no card required: knowledge bases, up to 50MB of file storage and custom agents | Tie |
| Cheapest way to pay | No paid tier — it is free. | $29.99 a month. | Qwen |
| What the paid tiers cost | No paid tier — it is free. |
| Tie |
| What to watch out for | Self-host or use a third-party host if the text is sensitive. | Breadth over depth against a dedicated tool. There is only one paid tier before Enterprise, and the model usage it includes is footnoted rather than stated, so check the allowance before committing. Prices exclude VAT. | Tie |
| Who it is usually for | working professionals, developers | working professionals | Tie |
| Runs on your own machine | Can be run on your own machine, so the material never leaves it. | Hosted service only — your material goes to their servers. | Qwen |
| Made by | Alibaba Qwen — Hangzhou, CN. | TextCortex — Berlin, DE. | Tie |
Qwen is ahead on 2 of the 8 rows compared, 1 of them about how well it does the job itself. It is a single row of daylight, so read TextCortex’s column before deciding.
Qwen
Among the best open options for multilingual drafting and translation, especially across Asian languages.
✓ Among the best open options for multilingual drafting and translation, especially across Asian languages.
✓ You would rather not take on a subscription at all
✓ The material cannot leave your own machine
✓ You are among developers
A browser extension that writes inside whatever site you are already in, rather than a separate window you paste between.
TextCortex is the better answer when the job is what it was built for rather than what the pick above does broadly.
✓ A browser extension that writes inside whatever site you are already in, rather than a separate window you paste between.
✓ Free tier with a daily creation allowance and no card required: knowledge bases, up to 50MB of file storage and custom agents
✓ It is aimed at working professionals
✓ Paid plans start at $29.99 a month
How we know
Every row that separated these two, and where it came from. Nothing here is a hands-on test — if a line rests on a vendor’s own pricing page, it says so and links it.
| Row | Favours | Weight | Where it came from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest way to pay | Qwen | Everything else | From each vendor’s own pricing page. Dates and pages are listed below. |
| Runs on your own machine | Qwen | How well it does the job | From this site’s own catalogue record for each product — compiled by hand, not imported. How a product gets listed |
The prices
Qwen. Read by hand off chat.qwen.ai on 4 September 2026. It is not on the monthly re-check, so confirm there before paying. chat.qwen.ai/pricing
TextCortex. Read by hand off textcortex.com on 4 September 2026. It is not on the monthly re-check, so confirm there before paying. textcortex.com/pricing
The ratings
The category these two share. Writing, Communication & Language — both are listed there in the catalogue, and the fit recorded against each listing is a judgement made here, by hand.
The nine-category grid below. Derived from what each product is listed for, by one script, once per build — so the same pair always reads the same. It is a derivation, not a review.
What this is not
Neither product was run side by side to produce this page. Nobody was paid to appear on it and nothing here is ranked by commission.
To put the same question to both and read the answers yourself, run them side by side — that is a live test, and this is not.
Choose based on what you’re doing
All ten categories, including the ones where neither of these is the answer. These ratings are derived from what each product is listed for, not from running it — a rating here is a reading of the record, and the record is linked.
01
General-Purpose AI Assistants
Questions, brainstorming, explanations, everyday tasks, decision-making, general advice.
Qwen
Good fitTextCortex
Not a good fitBest choice: Qwen
02
Search, Research & Academics
Web research, deep research, books, academic papers, citations, news, fact-checking.
Qwen
Limited fitTextCortex
Not a good fitBest choice: Qwen
03
Writing, Communication & Language
Emails, reports, essays, editing, summarizing, translation, presentations.
Qwen
Good fitTextCortex
Good fitBest choice: Tie
04
Coding, Data & Technical Work
Programming, debugging, data analysis, spreadsheets, math, engineering, technical research.
Qwen
Limited fitTextCortex
Bad fitBest choice: Qwen
05
Business, Finance & Professional Work
Business strategy, investing, market research, legal, sales, HR, accounting, consulting.
Qwen
Limited fitTextCortex
Not a good fitBest choice: Qwen
06
Image & Design
Image generation, photo editing, logos, graphics, product design, advertising creatives.
Qwen
Bad fitTextCortex
Bad fitBest choice: Neither
07
Video
Video generation and editing, clipping, subtitles, avatars, animation and motion capture.
Qwen
Bad fitTextCortex
Bad fitBest choice: Neither
08
Audio, Voice & Music
Voice generation, transcription, music, dubbing, sound cleanup and podcast production.
Qwen
Bad fitTextCortex
Bad fitBest choice: Neither
09
Marketing & Content Creation
Social media, SEO, advertising, copywriting, content ideas, scripts, brand development.
Qwen
Limited fitTextCortex
Not a good fitBest choice: Qwen
10
Productivity, Automation & Personal Life
AI agents, workflows, scheduling, meetings, organization, shopping, travel, personal finance.
Qwen
Limited fitTextCortex
Not a good fitBest choice: Qwen
Among the best open options for multilingual drafting and translation, especially across Asian languages.
by Alibaba QwenAmong the best open options for multilingual drafting and translation, especially across Asian languages.
You would rather not take on a subscription at all
The material cannot leave your own machine
You are among developers
A browser extension that writes inside whatever site you are already in, rather than a separate window you paste between.
Berlin, DEA browser extension that writes inside whatever site you are already in, rather than a separate window you paste between.
Free tier with a daily creation allowance and no card required: knowledge bases, up to 50MB of file storage and custom agents
It is aimed at working professionals
Paid plans start at $29.99 a month
Pricing, simplified
The plans people actually compare, read from each vendor’s own page.
PricingSimple, up-to-date plan overview.
Qwenby Alibaba Qwen
TextCortexby TextCortexFree version
Qwen
Yes — Free plan availableFree to use, weights downloadable
TextCortex
Yes — Free plan availableFree tier with a daily creation allowance and no card required: knowledge bases, up to 50MB of
Individual plans
QwenFree plan only
TextCortex
Premium
$29.99 / month$23.99 / month (annual)
Business plans
QwenNot sold to teams
TextCortexNot sold to teams
Enterprise
QwenNot published
TextCortex
Custom pricing
Tell us what you use AI for
Pick your main job and the verdict below changes to match. Every answer is on the page already, so this works as a reader, not a lookup.
The verdict for that job
Qwen
Close call. Both cover writing, communication & language at the same level; both have a free plan you can start on.
8 rows compared
Frequently asked questions
Is Qwen or TextCortex better?
Qwen is ahead on 2 of the 8 rows compared, 1 of them about how well it does the job itself. It is a single row of daylight, so read TextCortex’s column before deciding. both have a free plan you can start on. Qwen: Among the best open options for multilingual drafting and translation, especially across Asian languages. TextCortex: A browser extension that writes inside whatever site you are already in, rather than a separate window you paste between.
Is Qwen or TextCortex cheaper?
Only one of the two publishes a ladder we have verified, so a like-for-like comparison is not possible yet.
Do Qwen and TextCortex both have free plans?
Yes. Qwen: Free to use, weights downloadable. TextCortex: Free tier with a daily creation allowance and no card required: knowledge bases, up to 50MB of file storage and custom agents.
What should I watch out for?
Qwen: Self-host or use a third-party host if the text is sensitive. TextCortex: Breadth over depth against a dedicated tool. There is only one paid tier before Enterprise, and the model usage it includes is footnoted rather than stated, so check the allowance before committing. Prices exclude VAT.
Read more
Qwen
What it is for, who makes it, what it costs and what to use instead.
TextCortex
What it is for, who makes it, what it costs and what to use instead.
Best AI for Writing
Emails, reports, essays, editing, summarizing, translation, presentations.