# Arbiter - Local AI Chat — Private, offline AI Assistant

> Privacy-first, offline AI assistant running locally on your device with model selection. (iPhone/iPad app by Jordan Stone.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arbiter-local-ai-chat/id6747954532 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Jordan Stone](https://appshunter.io/developer/1823554814)
- Category: Productivity
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.90/5 from 16 App Store ratings · 10 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.4 · 39 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2025-10-02
- Data updated: 2026-08-15
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arbiter-local-ai-chat/id6747954532/reviews.md

## What is Arbiter?

Arbiter is a privacy-first offline AI assistant that runs on your device. Choose from lightweight open-source models like Gemma, Llama, DeepSeek, Qwen, and Mistral, or connect to larger models running on your PC or Mac over your local network. You can also connect to Arbiter for Mac when it is serving a local model on your network. There are no accounts, servers, or data collection. All your conversations are stored securely on your device, under your control.

Key Features:
- On-Device AI: Download and run models locally on your iPhone
- Local Network Models: Connect to more powerful models running on your PC or Mac through tools like LM Studio, Ollama, or Arbiter for Mac
- Visual AI Support: Upload images or take photos in-app to use with MLX-powered visual models
- Document & File Uploads: Summarize files and extract key insights
- Optional Web Search: Access up-to-date information when needed, while keeping your core experience private and local
- Smart Chat Suggestions: Context-aware suggestions tailored to your selected model and role
- Personalization: Customize system prompts and model settings for a more tailored experience
- Privacy by Design: Your conversations and data never leave your device unless you choose to enable web search or connect to a local network model
- Model Flexibility: Choose from multiple open-source AI models to balance speed, accuracy, and memory use
- Improved Reliability: Smarter context handling and enhanced error management for a more stable experience
- No Hidden Costs: Avoid expensive cloud fees with local and local-network processing

Whether you want to brainstorm, code, proofread text, analyze images, summarize files, search the web, or experiment with the latest open-source AI, Arbiter makes advanced AI models accessible while keeping your data in your hands.

Device Requirements: For smooth on-device performance, Arbiter is recommended for iPhone 13 Pro or later, or devices with at least 6GB RAM. Older devices may experience memory issues or crashes.

## Key features

- On-device AI processing
- Offline model execution
- Document summarization
- Privacy-focused design
- Multiple AI model selection
- Local data storage

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Extra Large Tip | $19.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (10 of 10)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arbiter-local-ai-chat/id6747954532/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Private, Sustainable, and Effective

*2026-05-28*

Finally an AI chat app that gets the job done without ruining the environment or leaking my data!

### 5/5 — Great Private Chatbot

*2026-05-21*

I love that it can be used completely offline and my data is secured!

### 5/5 — Great use of my time

*2026-05-05*

I enjoy how it adapts with my os and truly in a day where our data can easily get leaked. This app has given me the freedom to know my personal information is safe.

### 5/5 — Best AI app

*2025-11-06*

Easy to navigate and no internet required icing on the cake!

### 5/5 — SECURE FAST EASY TO USE AI

*2025-10-28*

Easily the best and most efficient AI app I have used. Access to a variety of popular models all in one app, couldn’t ask for more!

### 5/5 — Love this AI app

*2025-10-15*

Keeping your data safe!

### 5/5 — Convenient and easy to use

*2025-10-14*

I like that I can switch between different modes like “meal prep” and “study buddy” since that’s what I mostly use it for. Also pretty convenient to use offline while traveling.

### 5/5 — Useful offline AI

*2025-10-09*

Very useful when working offline, especially while traveling.

### 5/5 — Super useful

*2025-10-06*

I love that it’s private

### 5/5 — Best free AI app

*2025-10-04*

Best free AI app and I love that it’s offline!

## Frequently asked questions about Arbiter

### What is Arbiter?

Arbiter is a privacy-first AI assistant that runs entirely on your device, offering offline capabilities. It allows you to choose from various open-source models and keeps all your conversations securely stored locally.

### Does Arbiter have ads?

No, Arbiter does not contain advertisements. It is a completely ad-free experience, focusing on user privacy and uninterrupted interaction.

### What devices is Arbiter compatible with?

Arbiter is currently supported on iPhones. For optimal performance, it is recommended for iPhone 13 Pro or later, or devices with at least 6GB of RAM.

### How often is Arbiter updated?

Arbiter was last updated on February 10, 2026, with version 0.1.96. This indicates a relatively recent update, suggesting ongoing development and maintenance.

### Can I upload documents to Arbiter?

Yes, Arbiter allows you to upload documents from your device. You can then get summaries and key insights directly from these files.

### What is the age rating for Arbiter?

Arbiter has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users. This rating indicates minimal content concerns.

### Are there any hidden costs with Arbiter?

No, Arbiter emphasizes 'No Hidden Costs.' It avoids expensive cloud fees by processing AI models locally on your device.

### What makes Arbiter different from other AI assistants?

Arbiter's key differentiators are its complete on-device, offline operation and strong privacy focus, with no accounts, servers, or data collection. It also offers flexibility in choosing different AI models.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 0.2.06 — 2026-08-13

Benchmark models for quality, speed, and memory usage.
Improved model downloads, request handling, and generation cancellation.
Additional reliability improvements and bug fixes.

### 0.2.05 — 2026-07-31

Improved search feature and bug fixes

### 0.2.04 — 2026-07-10

New optional on-device memory helps Arbiter remember useful details.
Better answers from attached PDFs and text files.
Improved web search with clearer sources.
Share chats with others and open shared chats in Arbiter.
Copy, retry, read aloud, and share responses more easily.

### 0.2.03 — 2026-06-24

- Improved image attachments in chat and editing.
- Stop generation now works more reliably.
- Added better reasoning support with a Think toggle.
- Improved Qwen and DeepSeek model handling.
- Search answers avoid unnecessary thinking loops.
- Refined onboarding and model picker layout.
- Updated the model catalog with newer supported models.

### 0.2.02 — 2026-06-10

- Chat with larger models running on your local network through Arbiter for Mac or a third-party app
- Improved model selection and onboarding flow
- Better reliability for local network chats

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## Related topics

[arbiter](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/arbiter) · [the arbiter](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/the-arbiter) · [legacy arbiter officials](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/legacy-arbiter-officials)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-15.*