BYOK AI Assistants: When You Need One.

Jarvis (getjarvis.eu) manages model access for you, so this desktop AI assistant is not a bring-your-own-key client.

How we put this list together: Jarvis is our product — this site is getjarvis.eu — so read the framing here carefully: Jarvis is a managed-key assistant and does not accept a general bring-your-own-key setup for chat or assistant work, so it is disclosed but not ranked on this page. (The one narrow exception is the optional computer-use feature, which can run on an OpenAI API key you supply in Settings; core assistant use never requires a key from you.) A tool that fails the page's own defining criterion — can you plug in your own API key for everyday model access — does not belong in a BYOK ranking just because we make it. Every price, tier name, and platform claim below was checked in July 2026 against the vendors' own public pages (typingmind.com/buy, github.com/danny-avila/LibreChat and librechat.ai, github.com/open-webui/open-webui, boltai.com/pricing, anythingllm.com/pricing). Continue.dev, which anchored earlier versions of this page, was dropped after we confirmed via continue.dev and public reporting that it was acquired by Cursor/Anysphere in mid-2026, its GitHub repo went read-only, and new signups and billing were disabled — it is no longer something a searcher can actually buy, so AnythingLLM replaces it. Where a vendor does not publish a figure as static text — TypingMind's custom Teams-portal pricing, Open WebUI's Enterprise price, whether Open WebUI's branding requirement is enforced below 50 users — we say so rather than quoting a number. Each named limitation is drawn from the same vendor pages, not from third-party reviews.

1. TypingMind — Cross-platform BYOK chat web app/client that connects to OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, OpenRouter, and local models — sold as a one-time-purchase license rather than a subscription. TypingMind is the frontend only; there is no bundled model access. Pricing: Checked July 2026, vendor page typingmind.com/buy: one-time lifetime licenses — Standard $39, Extended $79, Premium $99 (promo price, normally $198; multi-model BYOK chat requires this tier). Bulk/Team license $395 for up to 10 users (promo, normally $790). API usage and extra cloud storage billed separately by the model providers. 14-day money-back guarantee. Platforms: Web app (self-hosted or via typingmind.com), installable as a desktop-like PWA; no native macOS/Windows binary. Known limitation: Multi-model BYOK chat — using several providers side by side — is locked behind the top $99 Premium tier, not the base $39 plan, confirmed on typingmind.com/buy. Pick TypingMind if: you want a one-time purchase instead of a recurring subscription and are comfortable managing your own API keys and costs across providers. 2. LibreChat — Open-source, self-hosted AI chat platform unifying multiple providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and local models) in one interface, with agents, code execution, and web search. Pricing: Checked July 2026: free and open source (MIT license, per github.com/danny-avila/LibreChat). No official hosted/cloud paid tier is documented; a free demo instance exists at chat.librechat.ai. Hosting costs — compute and provider API usage — are the user’s responsibility. Platforms: Self-hosted via Docker/Docker Compose, Kubernetes (Helm charts), or one-click deploys (Railway, Zeabur, Sealos); accessed via web browser, no native desktop/mobile app. Known limitation: There is no vendor-managed hosting — you must deploy and maintain your own instance (Docker or server), a real setup barrier compared to a downloadable app. Pick LibreChat if: you want a fully free, self-hosted multi-provider chat hub and are comfortable running Docker or a cloud deploy yourself. 3. Open WebUI — Self-hosted, extensible web UI for Ollama and OpenAI-compatible APIs with a plugin/tool ecosystem, RAG, and multi-user support. Pricing: Checked July 2026: core software is free to self-host, but licensed under the custom ‘Open WebUI License’ (not a standard open-source license), which requires preserving Open WebUI branding in deployments. An Enterprise Plan (custom, contact-sales pricing) removes branding and adds SSO/RBAC, SLA, and LTS support, per github.com/open-webui/open-webui. Platforms: Self-hosted via Docker; web-based UI, works with local (Ollama) or remote OpenAI-compatible model backends. No official native desktop/mobile app. Known limitation: As of the April 2025 license change, deployments with 50+ users cannot remove or modify Open WebUI branding without purchasing the paid Enterprise tier — a real constraint for teams, not just cosmetic. Pick Open WebUI if: you’re already running local models via Ollama and want the most extensible, plugin-friendly self-hosted UI, and branding requirements at scale aren’t a blocker. 4. BoltAI — Native macOS (and mobile beta) menu-bar BYOK AI chat client integrating OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Mistral, Azure, Bedrock, and local models via Ollama/LM Studio. Pricing: Checked July 2026, vendor page boltai.com/pricing: one-time purchases with 1 year of updates — Essential $79 (promo $55), Pro $199 (promo $69, ‘Most Popular’), Team Perpetual $99/seat (5-seat minimum, optional $79/seat/year renewal). Free trial available. 30-day money-back guarantee. Platforms: Native macOS app (Intel + Apple Silicon, macOS 13+); iPhone/iPad app in beta with cloud sync. No native Windows or Linux app. Known limitation: Mac-only for the core desktop app — Windows and Linux users are excluded entirely, and the mobile app is still labeled beta. Pick BoltAI if: you’re a Mac user who wants a polished native menu-bar chat client with a one-time purchase, not a subscription. 5. AnythingLLM — BYOK AI workspace with built-in RAG (document chat), agents, and MCP support, connecting to 30+ LLM providers; available as a free desktop app, self-hosted Docker deployment, or managed cloud. Pricing: Checked July 2026, vendor page anythingllm.com/pricing: Desktop app and self-hosted (Docker) are free ($0/month). Managed Cloud: Basic $50/month (private instance, custom subdomain, requires own LLM API key), Pro $99/month (adds team features, 72-hour support SLA), Enterprise custom-quoted (on-prem, SSO/RBAC, custom SLA). Platforms: Free desktop app for Mac, Windows, and Linux; self-hosted via Docker; managed cloud with mobile sync. Known limitation: The free desktop/self-hosted tiers have no official multi-user cloud sync or team collaboration — that requires stepping up to the $50-99/month Cloud plans. Pick AnythingLLM if: you want a free, cross-platform (Win/Mac/Linux) native desktop app with built-in document RAG rather than a bare chat frontend.

Why people switch: You want full cost transparency; You want to use your own enterprise keys; You want to run local models; You want one chat hub for every provider; Why Jarvis is not in the ranked list above.

Pick a competitor instead if: You need to plug in your own API key — That is the entire point of this page, and Jarvis does not do it — its keys are managed for you. TypingMind, LibreChat, Open WebUI, BoltAI, and AnythingLLM all accept your own provider keys directly. You want a fully free, self-hosted option — LibreChat and Open WebUI are both free and open source if you’re willing to run Docker or a cloud deploy yourself; AnythingLLM’s desktop app and self-hosted mode are free with no Docker requirement. You want a one-time purchase, not a subscription — TypingMind (from $39) and BoltAI (from $55 promo) are both one-time licenses. Jarvis is subscription-only: free, $16/month, or $32/month. You want a screen-aware assistant that acts in your apps instead — If BYOK was never the actual requirement and what you want is an assistant that reads your active window and acts through Gmail, Slack, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and Figma, that is what Jarvis is built for — just not on a bring-your-own-key basis.

What is the best BYOK AI assistant in 2026? TypingMind for the most polished cross-platform BYOK chat client on a one-time purchase. LibreChat or Open WebUI if you want free and open source and are willing to self-host. BoltAI for a native macOS menu-bar client. AnythingLLM for a free cross-platform desktop app with built-in document RAG.

Does Jarvis support BYOK? No. Jarvis routes managed model access through its own GDPR-aligned backend on a subscription (free, $16/month Pro, or $32/month Unlimited), and there is nothing to paste in for chat or assistant use on any plan. The single exception is the optional computer-use feature, which can run on an OpenAI API key you add in Settings — that is a per-feature option, not general BYOK, which is why Jarvis is not ranked in the list above.

Is BYOK cheaper than managed pricing? It depends on usage. Heavy users often pay less on direct provider rates with no markup. Light users may find a flat managed subscription simpler and cheaper than the combination of a tool license plus a metered API bill.

What is the best free BYOK AI? LibreChat and Open WebUI are both free and open source if you self-host via Docker. AnythingLLM’s desktop app and self-hosted mode are also free and don’t require Docker.

Can I use my own OpenAI or Anthropic enterprise key with these tools? Yes — TypingMind, LibreChat, Open WebUI, BoltAI, and AnythingLLM are all built to accept API keys you supply directly for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and other providers.

What happened to Continue.dev? Continue.dev, previously featured on this page as the BYOK pick for in-editor coding, was acquired by Cursor/Anysphere in mid-2026; its GitHub repo went read-only and new signups and billing were disabled, so it is no longer something you can actually purchase today. We replaced it with AnythingLLM.

Alternatives · BYOK alternatives · Last updated August 8, 2026