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Blue 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. Blue publishes a starting price ($5); BoltAI does not.

BlueNative Mac app that sends whatever is on screen to ChatGPT from an option-space shortcutBoltAINative Mac client for 300+ models on your own keys

Side by side

FactBlueBoltAI
CategoryDesktop & OS AssistantsMulti-model Chat Aggregators
Pricing modelPaidPaid
Starts at$5 month—
Public APINoNo
PlatformsmacOSmacOS, iOS
CompanyMonter AB—
Launched—2023
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

Blue

The screen-context trick is what separates this from the dozen other Mac ChatGPT wrappers: the shortcut brings the model to whatever window you are already in rather than making you assemble a prompt somewhere else. The five-dollar bring-your-own-key tier is honest pricing for what is, at that tier, a client. The limits are real though — Mac only, token allowances rather than unlimited use, and a small Swedish company with a Windows build that has been promised rather than shipped.

Pros

  • Screen-context capture invoked from a global option-space shortcut
  • Native macOS app rather than a wrapped web page
  • Bring-your-own-key tier at 5 dollars a month for people who already pay OpenAI
  • Trial runs with no card required
  • Vendor names itself and its country openly

Cons

  • macOS 12.6 or later only; the Windows build is announced but not available
  • Paid tiers meter GPT-4o by token allowance, so heavy use hits the ceiling
  • OpenAI models only, with no Anthropic or Google option
  • No API, no team features and no mobile client

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 Blue if you need

  • Mac users who want a model reading the window they are already looking at
  • People who already pay OpenAI and just want a better front end for 5 dollars a month
  • Anyone who prefers a keyboard shortcut to a browser tab

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

All Blue alternatives →Browse all Desktop & OS Assistants →