Source-backed analysis8
Review basis
Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.
8 reference sourcesInformation updated Nov 11, 2026
How we review
Dola Review
ByteDance's international AI assistant, formerly Cici, with a free tier
By AppDuo Editorial Team · Fact-checked
- iOS
- Android
- Web
On this page
Decide at a glance
Our verdict
Dola puts chat, web search, image generation and voice into one free app and holds 4.6/5 on both the App Store and Google Play. The trade-offs: paid plans cost 599,000 to 3,949,000 VND a month on the Vietnam App Store, refunds are at Dola's discretion, and data may be shared within ByteDance's corporate group.
Best for: Phone users who want a free AI assistant for Q&A, summaries, translation and image generation
Skip it if: Anyone handling confidential documents or financial data, since data may be shared within the corporate group
Pros
- Free tier covers chat, web search and questions about images and webpages
- Voice, image and video generation and work tools in one app
- App Store lists 19 languages (English, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, ...)
Cons
- No official pricing page; Pro (1,590,000 VND) and Max (3,949,000 VND) a month are steep for personal use
- Data may be shared within the group; ByteDance confirmed China-based staff may access it (Forbes, 2024)
All pros and cons · Who is it for?
More pros
- 4.6/5 on the App Store (about 69K ratings) and Google Play (2.29M reviews)
More cons
- No refund for mid-period cancellation; refunds are at Dola's discretion
- No public support chat or email, only in-app feedback
Best for
- People trying an alternative to ChatGPT or Gemini for everyday tasks
Skip it if
- Businesses: the terms say the service is for private, non-commercial use
Experience & key features
Dola is an AI assistant run by SPRING (SG) PTE. LTD., a ByteDance subsidiary in Singapore. AFP describes it as the overseas version of Doubao, previously called Cici; howaiworks.ai puts the rename around 3 November 2025, with accounts and chat history carried over. It runs on iOS, Android and the web.
The App Store description lists meeting and article summaries, language learning, planning, voice input, and image generation and editing in many styles. Paid plans raise the caps on Pro mode, advanced image and video generation, spreadsheet tasks and multimodal research.
Dola has no public pricing page. On the Vietnam App Store, Plus costs 599,000 VND a month or 5,999,000 VND a year, Pro 1,590,000 VND a month and Max 3,949,000 VND a month, plus an image and video pack at 499,000 VND. The terms say subscriptions auto-renew, prices may vary by country, and mid-period cancellations are not refunded.
On privacy, data may be shared within the group and used for model training, with an opt-out. In 2024 ByteDance confirmed to Forbes that China-based employees may access these apps' user data. If you often handle sensitive material, compare Dola's policy with those of ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude first.
Screenshots
Plans & pricing
Prices last verified Nov 11, 2026
Free
PersonalFree
Basic chat and web search, plus chat about images and webpages. Work tools, image and video generation and voice calls have daily usage caps.
Plus
Personal₫599,000/mo
₫499,917/mo billed yearly
Higher caps for Pro mode, advanced image and video generation, advanced spreadsheet tasks and multimodal research. Annual plan: 5,999,000 VND.
Pro
Personal₫1,590,000/mo
Higher caps than Plus. Only a monthly plan is listed on the Vietnam App Store.
Max
Personal₫3,949,000/mo
Top tier. Only a monthly plan is listed on the Vietnam App Store.
- Free plan limits
- Advanced features have daily usage caps.
- Free trial
- No free trial
Cancellation & refunds
Per the terms, cancelling mid-period keeps access until the period ends with no refund; subscription refunds are solely at Dola's discretion. App Store and Google Play purchases follow Apple's or Google's refund terms.
Privacy
The data controller is SPRING (SG) PTE. LTD. in Singapore. The policy lists collection of account details, your content (prompts, chat history, files, voice, photos) and device data. Data may be stored on servers in Malaysia, Singapore and Japan and shared with group companies for storage, security, analytics, research and content moderation. Your input may be used to train AI models; you can switch this off in account settings. The App Store privacy label says identifiers are used to track you, and Google Play's data safety section says the app may share photos, videos, files and documents with third parties. Minimum age is 13; in Vietnam, users under 16 need a parent or guardian's approval.
Dola alternatives
7.5/10Gemini
Google's AI assistant, tied into Gmail, Drive, Android and Google storage plans
7.5/10ChatGPT
OpenAI's flagship AI assistant for writing, research, coding, images and voice
Controversies & incidents
Issues documented by the press, regulators, courts or the vendor itself. Every item is sourced; unproven claims are labelled as allegations. Last researched: Nov 11, 2026
- Medium impactConfirmedPrivacy ·
Forbes: ByteDance not named; China-based staff may access user data
Per Forbes (Jan 2024), Cici AI's website and terms did not mention ByteDance. A ByteDance spokesperson confirmed China-based staff may access user data, subject to access controls and approvals.
Read the full account
On 17 January 2024 Forbes reported that ByteDance had quietly launched four AI apps outside China, including Cici AI. The apps' websites and terms did not mention ByteDance, and three were run by SPRING (SG) PTE. LTD., a new ByteDance subsidiary. The privacy policy allowed sharing with "entities within our corporate group". Spokesperson Jodi Seth called the apps "still in the testing phase", confirmed that ByteDance employees in China may access user data subject to access controls and approval processes, and said the apps used OpenAI's GPT via a Microsoft Azure licence. No regulator action against Dola was found in the sources opened. In February 2026 Forrester analyst Charlie Dai told AFP (via The Star) that, like TikTok, ByteDance's AI services could face "concerns about data governance and geopolitical frictions".
Vendor response
ByteDance said the apps were still in testing and that data access is subject to controls and approvals (per Forbes).
Sources:Forbes Australia (2024-01-17)AFP via The Star (2026-02-16)
Frequently asked questions
Is Dola the same as Cici?
Yes. AFP says Dola was previously Cici; howaiworks.ai dates the rename to around 3 November 2025, with accounts and history kept. The App Store listing still uses the same app ID.
Is Dola free?
There is a free plan with daily caps on advanced features. Paid plans on the Vietnam App Store: Plus 599,000 VND, Pro 1,590,000 VND and Max 3,949,000 VND a month.
Does Dola support Vietnamese?
Yes. The App Store language list includes Vietnamese among 19 languages.
Which AI model does Dola use?
There is no current official statement. In 2024 a ByteDance spokesperson told Forbes the apps then used OpenAI's GPT via a Microsoft Azure licence; AFP (Feb 2026) describes Dola as the overseas version of Doubao.
Review evidence & sources8
Scores
- Ease of use
- 8.0
- Features
- 7.5
- Value for money
- 6.5
- Performance
- 7.0
- Support
- 5.0
- Privacy & security
- 5.0
Why this score
Free app, 19 languages listed on the App Store, voice input; 4.6/5 on both stores.
Why this score
Per the App Store listing: chat, web search, image and video generation, spreadsheets and multimodal research. No published third-party integrations or API, unlike ChatGPT and Gemini.
Why this score
The free tier is usable. Plus costs 599,000 VND a month or 5,999,000 VND a year, Pro and Max 1,590,000 and 3,949,000 VND a month; prices appear only in the app stores and mid-period cancellations are not refunded.
Why this score
No independent performance data; the score rests on store ratings and a steady update cadence (version 15.7.0, 9 November 2026).
Why this score
Support and refund requests go through Help and Feedback in the app. The policy publishes only a privacy email; no chat, phone or public help center.
Why this score
Policy allows group sharing and use of content for AI training (opt-out available). Forbes (Jan 2024) quoted ByteDance confirming China-based employees may access data; the App Store label says identifiers are used for tracking.
What users say
- App Store (Vietnam)4.6/5 · 69,000
- Google Play4.6/5 · 2,290,000
Sources
- Vendor-providedDola official siteNov 11, 2026
- Vendor-providedDola privacy policyNov 11, 2026
- Vendor-providedDola terms of serviceNov 11, 2026
- storeApp Store listing (Vietnam)Nov 11, 2026
- storeGoogle Play listingNov 11, 2026
- pressForbes Australia (2024-01-17)Nov 11, 2026
- pressAFP via The Star (2026-02-16)Nov 11, 2026
- review-sitehowaiworks.ai: Cici is now DolaNov 11, 2026
Specs & compatibility
- Developer
- SPRING (SG) PTE. LTD. (ByteDance)
- Headquarters
- Singapore
- Launched
- 2023
- Category
- AI
Capabilities
- AI features
- Mobile app
Platforms
- iOS
- Android
- Web
Interface languages
- Vietnamese
- English
- Japanese
- Chinese
- Spanish
- French
- Korean
- German
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Thai
- Indonesian
Support
Change history
- Update.Terms of Service updated.
- Update.AFP described Dola (formerly Cici) as the overseas version of Doubao, ByteDance's AI assistant with over 100 million daily users.
- Update.Current privacy policy takes effect (last updated 31 July 2026).
Full change history (6)
- Update.Cici renamed Dola (around this date, per howaiworks.ai).
- Company.Forbes reported ByteDance had quietly launched Cici AI and other AI apps outside China, run by SPRING (SG).
- Launch.First App Store release date (then under the Cici name).
About the author
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