ByteDance’s decision to introduce a paywall for its flagship chatbot Doubao saw it lose 6.1 million users and could risk the tech giant’s lead in China’s fierce artificial

ByteDance’s decision to introduce a paywall for its flagship chatbot Doubao saw it lose 6.1 million users and could risk the tech giant’s lead in China’s fierce artificial 03.06.2026

ByteDance may have jeopardized its leading position in China's competitive artificial intelligence market by prematurely introducing a paywall for its popular chatbot, Doubao. In May 2026, Doubao experienced a significant decline of 6.1 million monthly active users, a rare occurrence since its 2023 launch, following the teasing of its first subscription options. Analysts suggest that the era of free AI services in China is not yet over, and Doubao's pricing strategy, with a standard plan at 68 yuan (US$10) per month and a professional plan at 500 yuan per month, may have alienated users. Despite this user loss, Doubao still holds the top spot as China's most popular AI mobile app with 330 million users, though its rivals are rapidly closing the gap.

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