BoltAI vs PaletteBrain

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

PaletteBrain

A cheap, honest deal: one payment puts GPT into every Mac text field, and because you bring your own key there is no markup on model usage. The catch is scope — it is a thin OpenAI/Azure wrapper from a small indie vendor, with no Windows version and no support for Anthropic, Google or local models mentioned.

Pros

• +One-time $29 license instead of a recurring fee
• +Works on selected text in any macOS app or website
• +Custom command library with per-command shortcuts
• +Text goes only to OpenAI/Azure — no middleman server

Cons

• −Useless without a separately billed OpenAI or Azure key
• −Locked to OpenAI-family models; no Claude, Gemini or local options stated
• −Single-developer product, so long-term maintenance is a bet

Is BoltAI cheaper than PaletteBrain?

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