# Gemini Notebook vs Qwen

> Gemini Notebook: Google's Gemini Notebook, formerly NotebookLM, answers questions and builds summaries from your own sources
> Qwen: Alibaba's free AI assistant and open-weight model family, on web, mobile and API

- Gemini Notebook profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/notebooklm
- Qwen profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/qwen
- Comparison page: https://finderatlas.com/compare/notebooklm-vs-qwen
- Last reviewed: November 2026

## Verdict

Gemini Notebook and Qwen are both AI Assistants tools. Both have a free plan or trial. Only Gemini Notebook is available on iOS. Only Qwen offers an API.

### Choose Gemini Notebook if

- You want a tool built for summarizing and questioning your own documents.
- Answers cite the uploaded sources, so claims can be checked against the original text.
- Free Standard tier with 100 notebooks and 50 sources per notebook.

### Choose Qwen if

- You want a tool built for free general-purpose chat.
- Free web assistant with image, video and document features.
- Open-weight models in many sizes on Hugging Face and GitHub.

## Pricing

| | Gemini Notebook | Qwen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Free plan or trial | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | $0 | $0 |

## Features

| Feature | Gemini Notebook | Qwen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Source-grounded chat | Yes | Not listed |
| Audio Overviews | Yes | Not listed |
| Video Overviews | Yes | Not listed |
| Study tools | Yes | Not listed |
| Reports, slide decks and infographics | Yes | Not listed |
| Multiple source types | Yes | Not listed |
| Cloud computer | Yes | Not listed |
| Gemini app sync | Yes | Not listed |
| Sharing and public notebooks | Yes | Not listed |
| Document processing | Not listed | Yes |
| Web search and tool use | Not listed | Yes |
| Voice and video chat | Not listed | Yes |
| Artifacts | Not listed | Yes |
| Multi-model chat | Not listed | Yes |
| Image and video understanding | Not listed | Yes |
| Image generation and editing | Not listed | Yes |
| Open-weight models | Not listed | Yes |
| Model Studio API | Not listed | Yes |

## Platforms

| Platform | Gemini Notebook | Qwen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | No | No |
| macOS | No | No |
| iOS | Yes | No |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | No | Yes |
| Browser Extension | No | No |

## Gemini Notebook strengths

- Answers cite the uploaded sources, so claims can be checked against the original text
- Free Standard tier with 100 notebooks and 50 sources per notebook
- Wide range of outputs, including Audio Overviews, Video Overviews, mind maps, flashcards, quizzes and slide decks
- Accepts PDFs, websites, YouTube videos, audio files, Google Docs and Google Slides
- Available on web, iOS and Android, and synced with the Gemini app

## Gemini Notebook limitations

- Works from the sources you add and is not built for live web news search
- Higher limits require a Google AI subscription; Ultra starts at $99.99 per month
- The cloud computer for code execution started with Ultra and Workspace AI Ultra Access customers, with Pro rollout still described as upcoming
- No public API for the consumer product, and the renamed brand can make older guides and app listings confusing

## Qwen strengths

- Free web assistant with image, video and document features
- Open-weight models in many sizes on Hugging Face and GitHub
- Hosted API with Max, Flash and Omni model options
- Strong multilingual coverage, including Chinese
- Many models can be self-hosted, which keeps data on your own hardware

## Qwen limitations

- No published paid consumer tier or stated usage limits for the free assistant
- Open-weight licenses vary by model, so not every model is Apache 2.0
- Hosted chat and API are run by a China-based company, which may not suit sensitive data
- App and model names change often, which can make official apps hard to identify

## FAQ

**Is Gemini Notebook better than Qwen?**

It depends on your workflow. Gemini Notebook is built for summarizing and questioning your own documents. Qwen is built for free general-purpose chat.

**What are the key feature differences between Gemini Notebook and Qwen?**

Gemini Notebook: Google's Gemini Notebook, formerly NotebookLM, answers questions and builds summaries from your own sources. Qwen: Alibaba's free AI assistant and open-weight model family, on web, mobile and API.

**Does Gemini Notebook or Qwen have a free plan?**

Yes, both do. Gemini Notebook is freemium and Qwen is freemium, and each has a free plan or trial.

**Which is cheaper, Gemini Notebook or Qwen?**

Both can be used for free. Paid plans differ in limits and features, so compare the tiers in the pricing table above.