Skip to content
effecthub

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. Alter publishes a starting price ($240); BoltAI does not. Only Alter has a free tier.

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$240 year—
Public APINoNo
PlatformsmacOSmacOS, iOS
CompanyAlter—
Launched—2023
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 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. The paid plan is annual-only and single-user, 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 is sold annually at $240 with no monthly option
  • 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

More comparisons

Browse all Desktop & OS Assistants →