Qwen API Pricing, Models & Rate Limits (2026)
Qwen is Alibaba Cloud's model family, served directly from Alibaba Cloud's Model Studio (DashScope) platform rather than through a third-party host. The Max tier targets frontier-class reasoning and long context; Plus trades a little quality for a lower price.
Also known as: Alibaba Cloud, Model Studio, DashScope.
Models and prices
| Model | Input /M | Output /M | Blended /M |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qwen 3.7 Plus | $0.80 | $2.00 | $1.10 |
| Qwen 3.8 Max | $1.60 | $6.40 | $2.80 |
| Qwen 3.7 Max | $1.60 | $6.40 | $2.80 |
Speed
Fastest measured Qwen model is Qwen 3.7 Plus at 84 tokens/sec (340ms TTFT), median across measured Qwen models is 49 tokens/sec. See the full speed benchmark methodology.
Operational facts
Verified 2026-08-08 against source.
| OpenAI-compatible | Partial |
| API base URL | https://dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com/compatible-mode/v1 |
| Auth model | Bearer API key |
| Prompt caching | Not documented |
| Batch discount | Not documented |
| Free tier | Free quota for new Alibaba Cloud accounts |
| Rate-limit model | Per-model QPS/QPM caps by account tier |
| Data residency | Singapore/international region via DashScope Intl; mainland China served from a separate region |
| Trains on API data | Not documented |
| SLA published | No |
Switching to and from Qwen
Calling Qwen through All AI Ask
Calling Qwen directly means adapting client code away from the plain OpenAI request shape — our gateway removes that: every model, including Qwen's, is called the same way.
curl https://allaiask.com/api/v1/chat \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $ALLAIASK_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"model": "qwen3.7-plus", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]}'FAQ
Is Qwen OpenAI-compatible?
Partially. Qwen publishes an OpenAI-compatible mode for some endpoints, but not a full 1:1 replacement for its native API — check https://www.alibabacloud.com/help/en/model-studio/models before relying on it for every feature you use.
Does Qwen support prompt caching?
Not documented as of 2026-08-08 — we did not find a published prompt-caching feature for Qwen. If that changes, this page updates.
Does Qwen have a free tier?
Yes — Free quota for new Alibaba Cloud accounts.
How much does the Qwen API cost?
Current Qwen models range from $1.10 to $2.80 per million blended tokens (3:1 input:output). Full per-model pricing is in the table below.
Where is Qwen API data hosted?
Singapore/international region via DashScope Intl; mainland China served from a separate region