Poe made many people's first contact with several AI models at once: one account, many chatbots. In 2026 a lot of Hong Kong users started looking elsewhere. Local tech media reported that from 30 March 2026 Poe's free allowance fell from 3,000 to 300 points a day (e-zone, findmyai.hk), and reviews on Trustpilot return again and again to the same theme: it is hard to know what a message will cost.
This is not a takedown. Poe still does things well. This guide is the checklist we would use ourselves when choosing an AI subscription in Hong Kong, with straight answers for Essevin, including where it is not the better choice.
The short answer
If you mostly use GPT models, want to pay a fixed monthly price in HK$, and want chat, images and video in one place, Essevin is worth comparing. If you mostly use Claude, want a free daily allowance, or rely on Poe's community bots, Poe may still suit you better.
Six questions to ask any AI subscription
1. Can I work out what a message costs?
Most credit-based services charge by the length of the conversation, because every message re-sends the chat history. That is normal, but you should be able to estimate it. Look for credits per model in writing and a record of what each request used. Essevin publishes credits per standard message for every model on its models page, states that 10,000 credits = HK$1, and shows each request's usage in the console. Our guide to why credits run out in long chats has the arithmetic.
2. Is there a ceiling on a single message?
A ceiling stops one runaway request from eating a day's allowance. Every Essevin plan has a per-message cap (10,000 credits, or HK$1, on the HK$28 Taster plan; up to 120,000 on Professional). Essevin checks the most a message could cost before sending it and limits the reply length to fit. The honest downside: near the cap, expensive models give shorter answers, and you will need a new chat.
3. Do I pay in Hong Kong dollars, by a normal card?
Essevin plans are priced in HK$ and paid by card in the console. Prices are final; Essevin adds no tax or fee at checkout (your card issuer may charge its own foreign transaction fee). No region switching or overseas card is needed.
4. What happens to credits I don't use?
Ask this one directly, because many services, Essevin included, do not roll credits over. On Essevin, monthly credits reset every month. Optional credit packs last the month you buy them and the next. If you need credits that last a full year, check whether a service sells them before you commit.
5. Can I change or cancel without a fight?
On Essevin you can cancel the renewal at any time in the console, and the plan stays usable until the end of the period you paid for. Upgrades cost only the difference; from a monthly plan, the unused part of the old plan is refunded to your card within 10 business days. Downgrades take effect when the paid period ends.
6. Will the features I depend on still be there?
Platforms change. In April 2026 Poe announced it would retire its knowledge base feature on 18 May 2026 and delete every file uploaded to it (aiunpacking). Whatever you choose, keep your own copies of important documents and prompts, and prefer services whose plans and terms are written down.
Side by side
| Essevin | Poe (Hong Kong, as reported) | |
|---|---|---|
| Free allowance | None; plans start at HK$28 a month | 300 points a day since 30 March 2026 (e-zone) |
| Entry paid plan | HK$28 a month: 250,000 credits, up to 20 images | HK$39 a month for 10,000 points a day (e-zone) |
| Models | Claude, GPT, GPT Image; video on Everyday and above | Many official models plus community bots |
| Per-message ceiling | Yes, set by plan | Check current terms |
| Unused credits | Reset monthly; packs last two months | Check current terms |
| Currency | HK$ | HK$ pricing reported for Hong Kong |
Poe figures are from public reports dated in the table and may have changed; check Poe's own pricing page before deciding.
Where Essevin fits, and where it doesn't
Good fit: heavy GPT use. On the HK$128 Everyday plan, a standard GPT-6.1 Sol message is about 322 credits, so the plan covers about 3,105 of them a month. By our own comparison in October 2026, that is a lower price per GPT message than Poe's comparable Hong Kong plan.
Good fit: you want images and short videos (Seedance, MiniMax Hailuo H3-Max, Wan 3.0) from the same monthly pool as your chats, or you want to use the same plan in Claude Code or Codex with an API key.
Not the best fit: heavy Claude Opus use. By the same comparison, Poe's Hong Kong plans currently give more Claude use per dollar. We would rather tell you than have you find out.
Not the best fit: you want a free tier, or you rely on community-built bots. Essevin has neither.
FAQ
Is there a free trial?
No. The smallest plan, Taster, is HK$28 a month and can be cancelled at any time; it stays usable to the end of the month you paid for.
Can I use Claude and GPT on one plan?
Yes. Every plan includes Claude (Opus 5.5, Sonnet 5.5, Haiku 5.5), GPT (GPT-6.1 Sol, GPT-6 Astra, GPT-6 Luna) and GPT Image. Everyday and above add video.
Do I need a VPN or an overseas card?
No. You sign up with an email address and pay by card in HK$.
Will my Poe bots or chats move over?
No. There is no import. Copy the prompts you rely on and paste them into a new chat, or save them as your own templates.
Is Essevin connected to Poe, OpenAI or Anthropic?
No. Essevin is an independent consumer subscription with its own accounts and credits.
Compare the plans on the pricing page, or create an account and start with Taster.