// Halo
The best Chinese ChatGPT alternatives (DeepSeek, Qwen, Kimi, GLM) — no subscription
The Chinese models worth knowing — DeepSeek, Qwen, Kimi, GLM, MiniMax — and how to run any of them on Halo without a subscription or account.
The Chinese labs have shipped some of the most capable — and most cost-effective — models available, and they’ve become the go-to ChatGPT alternatives. The catch is usually access: accounts, phone numbers, region limits, and questions about where your prompts go. On Halo you can use any of them with no subscription, no account, and pay-per-prompt pricing in USDC. Here are the ones worth knowing.
DeepSeek
The model that started the wave — frontier-level reasoning at a fraction of the cost of the big US labs. Use DeepSeek on Halo →
Qwen
Alibaba’s broad, multilingual family — a favourite for coding and reasoning, with many sizes to choose from. Use Qwen on Halo →
Kimi
Moonshot’s long-context specialist — strong when you’re working across big documents or codebases. Use Kimi on Halo →
GLM
Zhipu’s capable, efficient line (also shipped as Z.ai) — solid for general chat and agentic work. Use GLM on Halo →
MiniMax
Efficient agentic models with strong tool-use at a low cost. Use MiniMax on Halo →
Not sure which to pick? Send the same prompt to a few and compare — on Halo that’s one wallet, no per-provider signup. See how to use Halo on the web to get started.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Chinese ChatGPT alternative?
DeepSeek is the standout for reasoning and cost, but Qwen (multilingual, coding), Kimi (long context), GLM and MiniMax are all strong depending on the task. The best move is to try a few on the same prompts — on Halo you can, without a separate account for each.
Are Chinese AI models free?
The models themselves are often open-weight, but running them still costs compute. On Halo there's no subscription — you pay per prompt in USDC, so you only pay for what you use, with no account or phone number. Because independent operators compete for every request, prices are often among the lowest you'll find for these models anywhere.
Do I need a Chinese phone number to use them?
Not on Halo. The official apps often require a Chinese phone number or account; on Halo you connect a wallet and send a prompt to any model on the network.