Poe
Chat with many AI models, image tools and custom bots through one account
Freemium
Z.ai Chat
Free GLM-powered AI chatbot and agent from Zhipu AI for writing, coding and research
Freemium
Verdict
Poe and Z.ai Chat are both AI Assistants tools. Both have a free plan or trial. Only Poe is available on Windows, macOS and iOS.
Best overall
Poe
- AI enthusiasts
- Students
- Content creators
- Bot builders
Choose Poe if
- You want a tool built for comparing answers from several models.
- One account gives access to models from many AI companies, plus image and video models.
- Side-by-side comparison of model replies in a single conversation.
Choose Z.ai Chat if
- You want a tool built for trying GLM models at no cost, drafting and summarizing text, coding questions, low-cost API experimentation.
- Free web chat with recent GLM models and no subscription needed.
- Low per-token API prices, such as $0.15 input and $0.50 output per 1M tokens for GLM-5.3-Flash.
- Best for beginners
- Poe
- Best for business
- Z.ai Chat
Features
16 features compared.
- Multi-model chatPoeAvailableZ.ai ChatNot available
- Custom bot libraryPoeAvailableZ.ai ChatNot available
- Bot creationPoeAvailableZ.ai ChatNot available
- Creator monetizationPoeAvailableZ.ai ChatNot available
- Poe APIPoeAvailableZ.ai ChatNot available
- Image and video generationPoeAvailableZ.ai ChatNot available
- Multiple API keysPoeAvailableZ.ai ChatNot available
- Apps on several platformsPoeAvailableZ.ai ChatNot available
- GLM ChatPoeNot availableZ.ai ChatAvailable
- Agent CapabilitiesPoeNot availableZ.ai ChatAvailable
- Vision UnderstandingPoeNot availableZ.ai ChatAvailable
- Coding AssistancePoeNot availableZ.ai ChatAvailable
- GLM Coding PlanPoeNot availableZ.ai ChatAvailable
- Web Search and Web Reader MCPPoeNot availableZ.ai ChatAvailable
- Z.ai API PlatformPoeNot availableZ.ai ChatAvailable
- Open-Weights ModelsPoeNot availableZ.ai ChatAvailable
Pricing
Plans as listed by each vendor. Check their sites for current prices.
- Pricing modelPoeFreemiumZ.ai ChatFreemium
- Free planPoeYesZ.ai ChatYes
- Starting pricePoe$0Z.ai Chat$0
- PlansPoe6 plansZ.ai Chat4 plans
Poe plans
Free
$0
Small daily point allowance for basic models
- Daily point refresh
- Access to basic models and bots
Starter
$4.99/month
10,000 points per day
- Daily points
- Access to models and bots
Premium
Most popular$19.99/month
660,000 points per month
- Monthly points
- Premium models
- Image and video models
- API access
Premium Plus
$49.99/month
1.65M points per month
- Monthly points
- Premium models
- API access
Pro
$99.99/month
3.3M points per month
- Monthly points
- Premium models
- API access
Pro Max
$249.99/month
8.25M points per month
- Monthly points
- Premium models
- API access
Z.ai Chat plans
Chat (Free)
$0
Web chat with GLM models at chat.z.ai
- Web chat
- GLM-5.3-Flash
- agent features
GLM Coding Lite
$18/month
Lightweight coding workloads
- 2,000 credits per 5 hours
- 10,000 credits per week
- GLM-5.3 and GLM-5.3-Flash
GLM Coding Pro
$80/month
Professional coding workloads
- 12,000 credits per 5 hours
- 60,000 credits per week
- Vision
- Web Search and Web Reader MCP
GLM Coding Max
$168/month
High-volume coding workloads
- 28,000 credits per 5 hours
- 140,000 credits per week
- Vision
- Web Search and Web Reader MCP
Our ratings
Scored out of 10 by the Finder Atlas editorial team. Last reviewed October 2026.
- Poe
- 8.0overall
- Z.ai Chat
- 8.0overall
Poe leads in 0 categories and Z.ai Chat in 0, with 1 tied.
Model Variety
- Poe
- 9.3
- Z.ai Chat
- Not rated
Bot Ecosystem
- Poe
- 8.6
- Z.ai Chat
- Not rated
Pricing Transparency
- Poe
- 6.5
- Z.ai Chat
- Not rated
Developer Tools
- Poe
- 7.8
- Z.ai Chat
- Not rated
Ease of Use
Tied- Poe
- 8.0
- Z.ai Chat
- 8.0
Feature Depth
- Poe
- Not rated
- Z.ai Chat
- 7.8
Value for Money
- Poe
- Not rated
- Z.ai Chat
- 8.8
Performance & Speed
- Poe
- Not rated
- Z.ai Chat
- 8.0
Documentation & Support
- Poe
- Not rated
- Z.ai Chat
- 7.5
Scores weigh documented features, plan value, platform coverage, integrations and user feedback. A missing score means we have not rated that area yet.
Pros and cons
Poe
Pros
- One account gives access to models from many AI companies, plus image and video models
- Side-by-side comparison of model replies in a single conversation
- Large library of user-made bots, and tools to build and monetize your own
- OpenAI-compatible API that uses the same point balance
- Entry paid plan costs $4.99 per month, and a free tier is available
Cons
- Points are used at different rates by each model, so heavy use of top models can drain an allowance quickly
- Reported cuts to the free daily allowance and Premium monthly points in 2026
- Bot quality varies widely and bots can be hard to discover
- No published compliance certifications such as SOC 2 or HIPAA were found
- Provider-specific features like ChatGPT's GPTs or Claude's Projects are not available
Z.ai Chat
Pros
- Free web chat with recent GLM models and no subscription needed.
- Low per-token API prices, such as $0.15 input and $0.50 output per 1M tokens for GLM-5.3-Flash.
- Many GLM models are open-weights, so they can be self-hosted.
- The Coding Plan works with 20+ existing coding agent tools rather than locking users into one editor.
- Vision, search and reader tools are included in Coding Plan tiers.
Cons
- No confirmed official native iOS or Android app for the chat.
- Coding Plan terms have changed several times (legacy plans replaced by credits on July 30, 2026), which makes usage harder to predict.
- Service is operated by a China-based company, which may be a concern for data-residency-sensitive users.
- Free chat usage limits are not publicly documented.
Platforms
- WebPoeSupportedZ.ai ChatSupported
- WindowsPoeSupportedZ.ai ChatNot supported
- macOSPoeSupportedZ.ai ChatNot supported
- iOSPoeSupportedZ.ai ChatNot supported
- AndroidPoeSupportedZ.ai ChatNot supported
- APIPoeSupportedZ.ai ChatSupported
- Browser ExtensionPoeNot supportedZ.ai ChatNot supported
Integrations
Poe
No integrations listed.
Z.ai Chat
7 integrations- Claude Code
- Codex
- Cline
- Kilo Code
- OpenCode
- ZCode
- OpenClaw
Company
- CompanyPoeQuoraZ.ai ChatZ.ai (Zhipu AI)
- FoundedPoe2009Z.ai Chat2019
- HeadquartersPoeMountain View, CAZ.ai ChatBeijing, China
- ListingPoeClaimedZ.ai ChatClaimed
Featured AI Assistants
Picked by our editors. Not paid placement.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Poe better than Z.ai Chat?
It depends on your workflow. Poe is built for comparing answers from several models. Z.ai Chat is built for trying GLM models at no cost, drafting and summarizing text, coding questions, low-cost API experimentation.
What are the key feature differences between Poe and Z.ai Chat?
Poe: Chat with many AI models, image tools and custom bots through one account. Z.ai Chat: Free GLM-powered AI chatbot and agent from Zhipu AI for writing, coding and research.
Does Poe or Z.ai Chat have a free plan?
Yes, both do. Poe is freemium and Z.ai Chat is freemium, and each has a free plan or trial.
Which is cheaper, Poe or Z.ai Chat?
Both can be used for free. Paid plans differ in limits and features, so compare the tiers in the pricing table above.