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Alter vs BoltAI

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

Entry price
Alter from $29/mo, BoltAI from $79 once — different billing units, so no direct winner
Free plan
Only Alter (BoltAI has paid plans only)
Higher Trust score
BoltAI — 85 vs 78 for Alter
Best fit
Alter: Mac power users who want context-aware actions without copy and paste · BoltAI: Developers and power users with existing OpenAI or Anthropic keys
Platforms
Alter: macOS · BoltAI: macOS, iOS

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

AltermacOS assistant that reads what is on your screen and acts on it from a spoken commandBoltAINative Mac client for 300+ models on your own keys

Side by side

FactAlterBoltAI
CategoryDesktop & OS AssistantsMulti-model Chat Aggregators
Pricing modelFreemiumPaid
Starts at$29/mo$79 once
Trust score78 / 10085 / 100
PlatformsmacOSmacOS, iOS
CompanyAlter—
Launched—2023
Last verifiedOct 16, 2026Oct 16, 2026

What our research says

Alter

A Mac assistant that starts from screen context rather than an empty chat box, which is the difference between asking about a document and pasting it in first. Bring-your-own-key on the free tier is unusually generous. Pro is now offered monthly as well as yearly, but stays single-user under a fair-use budget, and the whole thing is Mac-only with no mobile or web surface.

Pros

  • Reads screen and app context so commands do not need the content pasted in
  • 80+ built-in actions plus roughly 2,000 service integrations
  • Supports 50+ cloud models and local models, so you are not tied to one provider
  • Free tier keeps all features if you bring your own keys or run locally
  • Meeting recording with speaker identification is included rather than a separate product

Cons

  • macOS only, with no Windows, mobile or web version
  • Pro's bundled models run under a monthly fair-use budget, after which queries may be routed to cheaper models
  • The licence is single-user and only one device can be active at a time
  • Screen-context access is a broad permission to grant a third-party app

BoltAI

The best-value option for heavy Mac users who already hold API keys and resent paying a third $20 monthly subscription. If you do not want to manage keys and top up provider credit, an ordinary chat subscription is less friction.

Pros

  • One-time $79 licence instead of an open-ended subscription
  • Own-key model means you pay provider rates with no markup
  • Local chat storage with optional passphrase encryption
  • MCP server support and custom agents built in

Cons

  • Licence covers only one year of updates, then you renew or freeze
  • Provider API usage is billed separately on top of the licence
  • Windows is advertised on the pricing page but still marked coming soon
  • Mobile app is beta and single-maintainer development is a real continuity risk

Which one fits

Choose Alter if you need

  • Mac power users who want context-aware actions without copy and paste
  • People who already pay for model API access and want a better client
  • Anyone needing local models for work that cannot go to a cloud provider

Choose BoltAI if you need

  • Developers and power users with existing OpenAI or Anthropic keys
  • Getting AI inline in any Mac app via a global keyboard shortcut
  • Privacy-conscious users who want chat history stored locally

Alter vs BoltAI: the questions people ask

Is Alter cheaper than BoltAI?

They charge in different units, so there is no like-for-like answer: Alter starts at $29/mo, BoltAI at $79 once. Entry price is the lowest paid plan as we last verified it.

Does Alter or BoltAI have a free tier?

Alter has a free tier; BoltAI has paid plans only.

More comparisons

All BoltAI alternatives →Browse all Desktop & OS Assistants →