kitio.aiJan vs local.ai
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Jan starts at Free and local.ai starts at Free. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Offline model runs
- Local API server
- MCP tools
- Cloud API connections
- No account needed
- CPU inferencing
- Model download manager
- Digest verification
- Local streaming server
- Mac, Windows and Linux builds
| Feature | Jan | local.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Open-source ChatGPT alternative that runs models fully offline | Free native app to run AI models offline on your computer |
| Category | Models & APIs | Models & APIs |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes, fully free | Yes, fully free |
| Made by | Menlo Research | local.ai |
| Based in | – | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Jan starts at Free and local.ai starts at Free. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
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
Jan
- Fully offline and private
- Free and open source
- Clean interface
- Fewer features than LM Studio
- Updates can change settings
- Needs decent hardware
local.ai
- Free, open source and offline
- No GPU required
- Verifies downloaded models
- GPU support is still upcoming
- Site copyright dates from 2023
- Fewer features than newer local runners
Which one should you choose?
Choose Jan if you want:
- Fully offline and private
- Free and open source
- Clean interface
Watch out: fewer features than lm studio.
Choose local.ai if you want:
- Free, open source and offline
- No GPU required
- Verifies downloaded models
Watch out: gpu support is still upcoming.
Jan vs local.ai FAQ
What is the difference between Jan and local.ai?
Jan: Open-source ChatGPT alternative that runs models fully offline. local.ai: Free native app to run AI models offline on your computer. Both are models & apis tools.
Is Jan or local.ai cheaper?
Jan starts at Free and local.ai starts at Free. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Jan and local.ai have free plans?
Jan: Yes, fully free. local.ai: Yes, fully free.
Who makes Jan?
Jan is made by Menlo Research.
Who makes local.ai?
local.ai is made by local.ai.
Which should I choose, Jan or local.ai?
Choose Jan if you value fully offline and private and free and open source. Choose local.ai if you value free, open source and offline and no gpu required.