1Our pick · The all-in-one local AI assistant
Typilot.
The only entry on this list that does voice plus typing, polish, meetings, notes, and 27 inline AI commands - all locally, on macOS, Windows, and Linux. No cloud round-trip. Lifetime license option. Disclosure: we built it - that is why it is at the top.
2
Claude Desktop
Anthropic's Mac and Windows desktop app for Claude - similar window paradigm to ChatGPT.
Pros
- +Often-stronger writing and reasoning than GPT for many tasks
- +Constitutional AI - generally more cautious and steerable
- +Strong long-context performance
Cons
- −Cloud-only - prompts go to Anthropic servers
- −No Linux desktop app
- −Same separate-window paradigm as ChatGPT - not inline
3
LM Studio
Local model runner with a GUI - download open-weight models and chat with them on your machine.
Pros
- +Fully local inference - no cloud round-trip
- +Wide model catalogue (Llama, Qwen, Mistral, DeepSeek)
- +Cross-platform: macOS, Windows, Linux
- +Free
Cons
- −Chat-window paradigm only - not inline in other apps
- −Performance bound by your hardware
- −No voice, polish, meetings, or other surfaces
4
Ollama
Command-line / API local model runner. The backbone many local-AI apps (including Typilot) talk to.
Pros
- +Powerful, scriptable, local
- +Cross-platform
- +Free and open-source
- +Integrates with most local-AI desktop apps
Cons
- −CLI-first - no built-in GUI chat window
- −You need to pair it with a frontend
5
Jan
Open-source ChatGPT alternative - runs models 100% offline on your computer.
Pros
- +Open-source local-first chat UI
- +Cross-platform: macOS, Windows, Linux
- +Privacy-first by default
- +Free
Cons
- −Chat-window paradigm
- −Performance bound by your hardware
6
GPT4All
Free local LLM chat app from Nomic AI - large model catalogue, simple UX.
Pros
- +Free and open-source
- +Cross-platform
- +Strong model selection including embedded RAG
Cons
- −Chat-window paradigm
- −Performance bound by your hardware
7
Perplexity Desktop
Cloud-based AI search with citations - different shape than ChatGPT but adjacent use case.
Pros
- +Citations + sources for every answer
- +Strong for research workflows
- +Free tier available
Cons
- −Cloud-only
- −Different category (search vs. open-ended chat)
8
Raycast AI
AI command palette built into Raycast - shortcuts and quick AI access on macOS.
Pros
- +Inline-ish - opens via spotlight-style shortcut
- +Mature command-palette UX
- +Integrates with multiple model providers
Cons
- −macOS-only
- −Cloud-routed (uses OpenAI / Anthropic under the hood)
- −Subscription required for AI features