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Ai Helper vs Jan

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors.

The short answer

Free plan
Both are free to use
Public API
Jan has one; not confirmed by us for Ai Helper
Higher Trust score
Jan — 91 vs 69 for Ai Helper
Best fit
Ai Helper: Users who want a lightweight desktop ChatGPT window instead of a browser tab · Jan: Privacy-focused users who want an offline ChatGPT-style app
Status
Both up at our last check — Ai Helper Sep 1, 2026, Jan Oct 2, 2026

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

Ai HelperFree desktop ChatGPT client for Mac, Windows, and Linux with multi-engine support.JanOpen-source desktop chat app that runs open models offline or connects to cloud providers, plus a terminal coding agent.

Side by side

FactAi HelperJan
CategoryDesktop & OS AssistantsModel Hosting & Inference
Pricing modelFreeFree
Public APINot confirmedYes
Trust score69 / 10091 / 100
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, LinuxmacOS, Windows, Linux, API
CompanyAi HelperMenlo Research Pte. Ltd.
Launched—2023
Last verifiedSep 1, 2026Oct 2, 2026

What our research says

Ai Helper

Ai Helper does one narrow thing — put ChatGPT in a native desktop window across all three major operating systems — for free. The site itself is so sparse that it is hard to verify much beyond that core claim without relying on third-party directory listings.

Pros

  • Free to use across Mac, Windows, and Linux
  • Supports several backend engines rather than locking to one provider
  • Includes small but genuinely useful extras like typewriter and paste modes for coding workflows

Cons

  • Marketing site provides almost no detail: no changelog, pricing page, or company information
  • No disclosed developer or company identity to vet before installing a desktop app with API key access
  • Feature claims are hard to verify beyond what third-party directories repeat

Jan

A friendly, fully free way to chat with open models offline and keep cloud providers one click away in the same app. It suits people who want privacy and zero subscription cost more than the polish of a hosted assistant. The new Jan Agent is explicitly preview quality, so do not rely on it for daily coding yet.

Pros

  • Free and Apache 2.0 licensed, with active public development
  • Local models run offline with no account or API key
  • Works with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Groq and compatible endpoints
  • Built-in local API server and MCP support

Cons

  • Local model quality and speed depend entirely on your hardware
  • The memory feature is shown as coming soon
  • Jan Agent is in preview with expected rough edges

Which one fits

Choose Ai Helper if you need

  • Users who want a lightweight desktop ChatGPT window instead of a browser tab
  • People who want to try multiple backend engines such as OpenAI, Gemini, Azure, or OpenRouter from one app
  • Anyone looking for a no-cost alternative to paid desktop AI clients

Choose Jan if you need

  • Privacy-focused users who want an offline ChatGPT-style app
  • Developers who want local and cloud models behind one interface and a local API

Ai Helper vs Jan: the questions people ask

Does Ai Helper or Jan have a free tier?

Both: Ai Helper is free to use, and Jan is free to use.

Which has a public API, Ai Helper or Jan?

Jan ships a public API, as of our last verification. A public API for Ai Helper is not confirmed by us — check its developer docs before you plan an integration.

More comparisons

All Ai Helper alternatives →All Jan alternatives →Browse all Desktop & OS Assistants →