Free tool

Jan

Open-source ChatGPT alternative that runs on your own computer. Free, Apache 2.0.

Visit site ↗Pricing ↗

Solid optionOpen-source local assistant that works well but is less established than Ollama or LM Studio.

See how Jan fits your setup. Add the tools you already use.

Price

Open source · Free

Nonprofit offer

None found

Available in

🌍Anywhere

Suits

Volunteer-run · Small · Medium · Large

Great for

Organisations that want open-source software they can inspect
Staff wanting a private chat assistant on a laptop
Open source and free
Private when used locally
Works on Windows, macOS and Linux

Watch out for

Teams needing central admin and shared accounts
Machines with less than 8GB of memory
Local models are less capable than the leading cloud assistants
Easy to switch on a cloud provider by mistake
No central admin for teams

Problems it solves

“We can't put client data into ChatGPT”“I want an open-source AI assistant for my charity”“Can we run AI on staff laptops without sending data out”“I need a free private alternative to ChatGPT”“How much computer memory do I need to run AI locally”

About Jan+

Jan is a free, open-source chat app that runs AI models on your own computer, with an option to connect to cloud services if you choose. It works on Windows, macOS and Linux. It suits organisations that want a private assistant for sensitive material and the freedom to inspect the code.

Pricing: Free and open source under Apache 2.0.

Key features+

Runs open models locallyOptional connections to OpenAI, Anthropic and MistralCustom assistantsLocal OpenAI-compatible APIModel Context Protocol supportWindows, macOS and Linux

Works with (2)+

Ollama-style local APIModel Context Protocol

AI features+

The product runs AI models locally. Quality depends on the model and hardware.

Data & privacy+

Jan states its products do not collect personally identifying information and that conversation history and usage logs are stored locally and never leave your computer. If you connect a remote provider such as OpenAI, your data is subject to that provider's terms, so keep sensitive work on local models. The project recommends at least 8GB of RAM for 3B-size models, 16GB for 7B and 32GB for 13B.

How sure are we?+

Prices and offers confirmed on the vendor's own pages. Prices and nonprofit programs change often, so check with Jan before you commit. Rankings on Nonprofit Tools are never for sale.

Sources · last checked 2026-10-02