kitio.aiCherry Studio vs BoltAI
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Cherry Studio is completely free, while BoltAI is free trial.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Dozens of providers
- Local model support
- Knowledge bases
- Preset assistants
- MCP tools and agents
- Native macOS app
- Inline text commands
- Own API keys
- Local model support
- Document Q&A
| Feature | Cherry Studio | BoltAI |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Free open-source desktop client for dozens of AI providers | Native Mac AI app with pay-once licenses and hundreds of models |
| Category | Chat assistants | Chat assistants |
| Pricing model | Free | Free trial |
| Starting price | Free | $79 one-time |
| Free plan | Yes, fully free | No, trial available |
| Made by | CherryHQ | BoltAI |
| Based in | China | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
|
Both offer: Local model support.
Pricing compared
Cherry Studio is completely free, while BoltAI is free trial.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Essential
$79 one-time
- Perpetual license
- 1 desktop device
- All 100+ app features
Pro
$99 one-time
- Perpetual license
- 2 desktop devices + 1 mobile
- All 100+ app features
Pro+
$199 one-time
- Perpetual license
- 3 desktop devices + 2 mobile
- All 100+ app features
Team Perpetual
$99 one-time
- Per seat, 5 seats minimum
- 10GB shared team storage
- Priority support
- Optional renewal $79/seat/year
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Cherry Studio
- Completely free
- Very broad provider support
- Data stays local
- Setup needs your own API keys
- Many settings to learn
- Docs partly in Chinese
BoltAI
- Fast native Mac experience
- No required subscription
- Works system-wide
- Mac only for now
- Updates need renewal after a year
- API costs are separate
Which one should you choose?
Choose Cherry Studio if you want:
- Completely free
- Very broad provider support
- Data stays local
Watch out: setup needs your own api keys.
Choose BoltAI if you want:
- Fast native Mac experience
- No required subscription
- Works system-wide
Watch out: mac only for now.
Cherry Studio vs BoltAI FAQ
What is the difference between Cherry Studio and BoltAI?
Cherry Studio: Free open-source desktop client for dozens of AI providers. BoltAI: Native Mac AI app with pay-once licenses and hundreds of models. Both are chat assistants tools.
Is Cherry Studio or BoltAI cheaper?
Cherry Studio is completely free, while BoltAI is free trial.
Do Cherry Studio and BoltAI have free plans?
Cherry Studio: Yes, fully free. BoltAI: No, trial available.
Who makes Cherry Studio?
Cherry Studio is made by CherryHQ, based in China.
Who makes BoltAI?
BoltAI is made by BoltAI.
Which should I choose, Cherry Studio or BoltAI?
Choose Cherry Studio if you value completely free and very broad provider support. Choose BoltAI if you value fast native mac experience and no required subscription.