01.AI vs Anthropic
Which Foundation Models AI tool is better in 2026?
01.AI
Founded by Kai-Fu Lee — maker of the Yi model family.
Anthropic
AI safety lab building Claude — a helpful, harmless, honest AI assistant.
Side-by-side
Anthropic is the more established option (raised $132.6B), but 01.AI is cheaper to start.
| Metric | 01.AI | Anthropic |
|---|---|---|
| Taglinei | Founded by Kai-Fu Lee — maker of the Yi model family. | AI safety lab building Claude — a helpful, harmless, honest AI assistant. |
| Foundedi | 2023 | 2021🏆 |
| HQi | Beijing, CN | San Francisco, US |
| Employeesi | 201-500 | 501-1000🏆 |
| Neuron scorei | 65 | 98🏆 |
| Total fundingi | $200M | $132.6B🏆 |
| Latest roundi | Series A · Nov 2023 | Series H · May 2026 |
| Valuationi | $1B | $965B🏆 |
| Cheapest paid plani | —🏆 | Pro · $20/mo |
| Free plani | ✗ | ✓ Free |
| Free triali | ✗ | ✗ |
| Top tier pricei | Enterprise LLM Platform · Contact sales | Team · $30/mo |
| Pricing summaryi | 1 published plans | 4 published plans |
| Categoriesi |
Capability matrix
Developer-facing capabilities and access signals for 01.AI and Anthropic.
| Capability | 01.AI | Anthropic |
|---|---|---|
| MCP support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Public API | ✗ | ✓ |
| Webhooks | ✗ | ✓ |
| OAuth 2.0 | ✗ | ✓ |
| SDK languages | 1 (Python) | 5 (python, typescript, java, kotlin…) |
| Free plan | ✗ | ✓ |
| Free trial | ✗ | ✗ |
| Verified | ✗ | ✗ |
| Active deal | ✗ | ✓ |
🟢 Strengths of 01.AI
- Newer company (2023)
🔵 Strengths of Anthropic
- Has raised more capital ($132.6B vs $200M)
- Higher Neuron score (98 vs 65)
- Offers a free plan
- More mature (2021)
Which should you choose?
Choose 01.AI if price matters most — it starts at Freemium, which is friendlier for teams watching burn. Both Foundation Models tools ship core features, so the cost delta often decides it for small teams and solo operators.
Choose Anthropic if you want the most established option — it has raised $132.6B, suggesting more runway for enterprise features, support, and long-term roadmap. For mission-critical workflows or larger teams, that stability often outweighs a lower monthly price.
💸 Deals
$5 in free Claude API credits on signup
New developers get $5 in free Claude API credits after verifying a phone number — try Claude Sonnet, Opus, and Haiku before paying.
Terms: New API accounts only. Requires phone verification.
Frequently asked questions
01.AI vs Anthropic — which is better?
It depends on your priority. 01.AI is the leaner option; Anthropic has broader feature depth. See the side-by-side table above.
Is 01.AI cheaper than Anthropic?
Yes — 01.AI's cheapest paid plan is Freemium, while Anthropic's is Pro · $20/mo.
Do 01.AI and Anthropic offer free plans?
01.AI: Paid only. Anthropic: Yes, has a free plan.
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