When choosing the ultimate AI platform to boost your productivity, you face a critical choice between two multi-functional powerhouses: 1min.AI vs. Merlin AI. While both platforms aim to be a central hub for content creation and intelligent automation, they specialize in different areas.

1min.AI truly functions as an “all-in-one multi-media studio”, emphasizing comprehensive creation across text, image, audio, and video, backed by access to the frontier AI models. Merlin AI is built as an intelligent assistant, primarily focusing on deep integration with workplace systems (HR, CRM, ERP) and robust text and document analysis for professional efficiency.

In this guide, we will break down the core differences in pricing, features, and model access to help you decide which platform is the best fit for your personal projects or professional team.

🔮 What is 1min.AI?

1min.AI is a cutting-edge all-in-one AI platform designed to be your single hub for all creative and analytical tasks. The core mission of 1min.AI is to provide easy and affordable access to the best and most diverse AI models in one workspace, allowing users to efficiently create and manage text, code, images, audio, and video content. It’s built for businesses, creators, and professionals who demand high quality and versatility without juggling multiple expensive tools.

Core Features

Unrivaled Multi-Model Access

1min.AI is an AI powerhouse, giving you immediate access to an enormous list of 40+ frontier AI models. This includes the newest and most powerful brains like:

• OpenAI: GPT-5 Chat Latest, GPT-4o Mini, GPT-4 Turbo, GPT OSS 120b.
• Anthropic: Claude 4.5 Sonnet, Claude 4 Opus, Claude 3.5 Haiku.
• MetaAI: LLaMA 3.1 405b, LLaMA 4 Scout Instruct.
• GoogleAI: Gemini 2.5 Pro, Gemini 2.5 Flash.
• xAI: Grok 4 Fast Reasoning.
• …

1min.AI Multi-AI Chat: Instant comparative output

True All-in-One Functionality

The platform integrates tools for every media type, eliminating the need for separate apps:

• AI for Image: Image Generator, Upscaler, Background Remover, Object Search and Replace.
• AI for Audio: Text to Speech, Speech to Text, Translation.
• AI for Video: Image to Video, Video Summarizer.
• AI for Document/Keyword: Document Analysis, Keyword Research.
• AI for Chat: AI for Chat, Chat with Multiple AI Models.
• …

1min.AI content generator interface

Target Users

1min.AI is perfect for a wide range of users, including Marketers, Software Engineers, Designers, and Small Businesses. If your work demands ultimate model flexibility, multi-media creation, and cost-effective scaling, 1min.AI is designed to meet your needs efficiently.

🔆 What Is Merlin AI?

Merlin AI is an intelligent AI platform and assistant designed to seamlessly integrate into your daily workflow, primarily through a powerful browser extension and direct web access. The platform’s core mission is to improve efficiency and offer intelligent automation options, focusing on text, chat, and research tasks across various web pages and applications.

Merlin AI interface

Core Features

Deep Integration and Accessibility

Merlin AI excels at integrating with the platforms you already use, featuring AI for Google, AI for LinkedIn, and AI for Twitter. This makes it incredibly efficient for professionals seeking quick AI assistance within their current environment.

Comprehensive Chat and Research Tools

The platform provides advanced chat capabilities, including:

• AI Chat: Chat with Merlin, Free GPT-4o access.
• Research Assistants: Chat with PDF, Chat with Websites, and YouTube Summarizer and Article Summarizer.

Merlin AI’s document analysis interface

Robust Text and Document Tools

Merlin AI offers over 70+ writing tools for various needs, such as:

• Paraphraser, Essay Writer, Plagiarism Checker, AI Translator.
• Specialized tools like Email Writer and Doppelganger for Twitter.

Merlin AI’s integration and web automation

Image and Visual Creation

It supports visual content creation with tools like the Image Generator

Target Users

Merlin AI is ideal for freelancers, content writers, individual researchers, and business users who need an AI assistant deeply integrated into their browser and existing web applications for quick text generation, detailed research, and document analysis.

💸 Pricing Models: Personal Plan & Team Plan

Feature	1min.AI	Merlin AI
Core Focus	All-in-One Multi-Media Studio.	Intelligent Assistant & Workplace Integration.
Primary Output	Text, Image, Audio, Video, Code, Document Analysis.	Text, Image, Document Analysis, Browser Integration.
AI Models	40+ Frontier Models: GPT-5, Claude 4.5 Sonnet, LLaMA 3.1, Grok 4, Gemini 2.5 Pro, etc.	Limited access to Basic/Plus models. Exclusive models (GPT 5, Claude Sonnet 4.5) available on Pro plan.
Image Generation	Comprehensive: Generator, Upscaler, Variator, Background Remover/Replacer, Object Search.	Basic/Advanced Image Generator.
Audio/Video	YES: Text to Speech, Speech to Text, Image to Video, Video Summarizer.	NO dedicated direct audio/video creation tools; focus on text summary.
Integration/Access	AI Studios (Marketer, Engineer, etc.), Dedicated Web App, Multi-AI Chat.	Deep integration via Chrome Extension (for Google, LinkedIn, Twitter), API.
FREE Plan	Highly Generous: 450,000 Credits/Month. Includes Multi-Media (Image, Video).	Limited access to Basic Models and Chrome extension features.
Personal Plan (PRO)	$8/month (or $6.5/month yearly). 1M+ Credits ($0.67/M credits). Credit Rollover.	$29/month (or $19/month yearly). Unlimited Basic Templates, 50x Plus Models.
Team Plan	$12.5/month (or $10/month yearly) for 10 members. Focus on Affordable Scaling and Members Management.	$19/seat/month (or $15/seat/month yearly) (Min. 5 seats). Focus on Compliance (SOC2, GDPR) and Team Management.

🔮 Why Choose 1min.AI

While Merlin AI is a strong tool for browser integration and text automation, 1min.AI offers key advantages that position it as the superior choice for creators, multi-media professionals, and businesses focused on maximizing value and performance.

🔎 Superior Multi-Media Creation and Access

If your work requires more than just text—including professional Image Generation, Upscaling, Background Removal, Text to Speech, and even Image to Video—1min.AI is the dedicated specialist. Merlin AI lacks this integrated suite of multi-media tools.

1min.AI’s complete AI for image toolkit

⚙ Unrivaled Frontier AI Model Access

With instant access to 40+ frontier models from all major providers (GPT-5, Claude 4.5 Sonnet, LLaMA 3.1, Grok 4), 1min.AI ensures you always use the best-performing AI for any task, whether it’s creative writing or complex code.

💰 Maximum Value and Affordability

• Generous Free Tier: The massive 450,000 free credits/month provide the best entry point in the market, allowing full feature exploration (including multi-media tools) completely free.
• Cost-Effective Scaling: The PRO plan at $8/month is significantly more affordable than Merlin AI’s comparable plan ($29/month). With low cost per additional credit and the Rollover Unused Credits feature, 1min.AI ensures you get maximum AI power for your budget without wasted expenses.