# Cumbersome: AI LLM API Client — API to ChatGPT, OpenAI, Ollama

> Direct AI LLM API client with advanced control and multi-provider support. (iPhone/iPad app by Folding Sky Co.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cumbersome-ai-llm-api-client/id6753016821 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Folding Sky Co](https://appshunter.io/developer/1842155029)
- Category: Productivity, Developer Tools
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.90/5 from 60 App Store ratings · 26 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 17+
- Requires: iOS 18.0 · 75 MB
- Languages: American English, Chinese (Simplified, China)
- Released: 2025-10-01
- Data updated: 2026-08-25
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cumbersome-ai-llm-api-client/id6753016821/reviews.md

## What is Cumbersome?

IMPORTANT: Requires your own API keys from OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, Google AI Studio, Z.ai, or Vercel AI Gateway, or your own OpenAI-compatible endpoint.

I built Cumbersome because consumer AI apps kept dumbing things down. Cumbersome is the manual transmission of AI apps: more complex, but with far greater control.

WHY I BUILT THIS

Consumer AI providers like ChatGPT and Claude route requests to cheaper models to keep their costs down. They charge monthly subscriptions whether you use them once or a thousand times. They hide the technical controls that let you tune how models respond. And they lock you into one provider.

I wanted an AI client that connects directly to AI provider APIs. I wanted to pick exactly which model I use and know I'm getting it. I wanted to compare different models on the same prompt. I wanted to pay per use instead of subscriptions. So I built it. This is the app I use every day to interact with AI, so I pay attention and try to get it right.

SUPPORTED PROVIDERS

Bring your API keys, or add your own OpenAI-compatible endpoint, for any of the following:

— ChatGPT / OpenAI
— Claude / Anthropic
— Gemini / Google AI Studio
— OpenRouter multi-provider
— Vercel AI Gateway multi-provider
— Z.ai
— OpenAI-compatible custom endpoints, including Ollama, Azure, LM Studio, Groq, Together, and self-hosted backends

WHAT YOU GET

— A free app.
— A versatile API client. One app, every major provider and model.
— Total control. Pick your model, tune the parameters, switch providers mid-conversation.
— Compare models head to head. Stream multiple chats in parallel and let an AI judge pick the best.
— Bring your own tools. Local browser use, reasoning, web search, image generation.
— Rich, editable conversations. Markdown, LaTeX, code blocks, attachments, edit and export anything.
— Private by design. iCloud sync across devices. Nothing saved to our servers.
— Native and accessible on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

MAJOR FEATURES ADDED IN 2026

Highlights only. See What's New on the App Store for the latest.

2026-07-02: Chat appearance themes and reading fonts (Serif, Rounded, Mono).
2026-06-28: Folder-level system message presets.
2026-06-24: Prompt caching, with cache usage shown across providers.
2026-06-17: Reusable system message presets per conversation.
2026-06-16: Offload long system messages to iCloud Drive.
2026-06-15: Pause custom API parameters with a toggle.
2026-06-11: Compact a conversation to lower API costs.
2026-06-07: Run JavaScript and HTML directly from Cumbersome.
2026-06-04: Choose how OpenRouter parses PDFs and which search engine it uses.
2026-05-12: Configurable Quick Prompt shortcut and App Visibility on Mac.
2026-05-09: Conversation folders. Group, move, and organize chats.
2026-05-03: Collapsible sidebar sections, synced across devices.
2026-04-22: AI image generation with OpenAI and Gemini.
2026-04-18: Local browser tool use. AI can search and browse pages.
2026-04-11: Headless mode. The AI works the browser in the background.
2026-04-03: Searchable model picker for long model lists.
2026-03-15: Extended thinking and reasoning across providers.
2026-03-09: Auto-delete conversations after a set number of days.
2026-02-28: OpenAI-compatible custom providers (Ollama, Azure, LM Studio, Groq).
2026-02-25: Only Search When Requested. Keep web search off until you ask.
2026-02-24: Image paste, interactive attachment previews, and PDF thumbnails.
2026-02-21: Siri and Shortcuts integration.
2026-02-20: Vercel AI Gateway support, with model exclusion filters.
2026-02-06: Voice Control, Larger Text, and higher contrast.
2026-01-11: Major accessibility pass. VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, keyboard nav.
2026-01-06: OpenRouter multi-provider integration.

THE DEAL

The app is free. You pay providers directly for API access.

I'm Peter, an indie developer in Reno, Nevada, out among the high desert tumbleweed. No VC money. No growth hacking. Just a tool I wanted to exist.

## Key features

- Direct API connections
- Multi-provider support
- Full parameter control
- Face/Off Mode with AI judge
- Concurrent chats
- Edit messages
- Rich content support

## Recent user reviews (10 of 26)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cumbersome-ai-llm-api-client/id6753016821/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Exactly what I wanted

*2026-08-07, version 1.63.0*

Great job Peter. I’ve only been using the app for a couple of days, but it’s exactly what I wanted and was very easy to set up.

### 1/5 — Not coding plan

*2026-08-02, version 1.61.0*

Not z.ai coding plan

### 5/5 — The Perfect Blend

*2026-08-01, version 1.61.0*

This LLM client’s approach is the perfect blend of simplicity and complexity. For example, it’s simple and has a straightforward conversation history but an individual chat can easily be exported in full JSON for another agent to use if you need to take a conversation to the next level. Or how it uses iCloud for seamless sync. Peter rocks!

### 5/5 — My favourite AI app in iOS

*2026-07-27, version 1.59.0*

Let’s you use Ollama Cloud and Open Router so you can switch between models at will.

Web search supported well with both and the app has been improving really fast since I started using it.

### 4/5 — No macOS 15 local search support?

*2026-07-15, version 1.57.0*

Everything is great except for no macOS 15 local search support. Is this a technical limitation?

### 5/5 — Best phone llm source

*2026-07-05, version 1.54.0*

Clean design, just works. I supplied a openrouter key. PDF parsing works perfectly, as well as browser use. Installed it on my MBP too, and found all my chats. I use it more than claude now

### 4/5 — 优势是免费、手机电脑同步

*2026-07-02, version 1.54.0*

轻量化、清晰顺滑、免费、接入友好。有几个小缺憾：1. 长文本输入输出的时候有概率出现滑动卡顿、闪屏、显示故障。2. 侧栏 ui 的颜色有些刺眼，对于一个大量阅读的 app 来说最好还是配色风格温和专业一些。3. 添加 provider 之后无法修改，调试换端点稍有点麻烦，但问题不大。

### 3/5 — 优势是免费、手机电脑同步

*2026-07-01*

轻量化、清晰顺滑、免费、接入友好，有几个小缺憾：1. 长文本输入输出的时候有概率出现滑动卡顿、闪屏、显示故障。2. 侧栏 ui 的颜色有些刺眼，对于一个大量阅读的 app 来说最好还是配色风格温和专业一些。3. 添加 provider 之后无法修改，调试换端点稍有点麻烦，但问题不大。

**Developer response:** Thanks for the detailed feedback. I will add a theme picker so you can adjust the colors, and I'm working on the scrolling and display glitches. I'll also look into making providers editable.

### 5/5 — Just the right amount of complexity

*2026-06-27, version 1.53.0*

Reading the history of this developer (hi, Peter!), I shouldn’t be surprised at how well this app is put together. It integrates complexity very well. It thoughtfully fills gaps between what models offer and clients typically provide. Plus it’s just really (really) fast to start and sync.

### 5/5 — Exactly what I needed

*2026-06-23, version 1.52.0*

I’ve been using this app since it came out. I’ve long wished for certain features and hoped for continued updates. It’s worked fine, however, the past 5 versions or so have finally given me the features I’ve been waiting for the whole time and it’s amazing. Separate system prompts, chat scoped system prompts,, toggleable parameters, more fixes to the streaming text Views, all the newer OpenRouter backend tool support. He even added COMPACTION! That’s amazing! Thank you so much! Love this app.

## Frequently asked questions about Cumbersome

### Does Cumbersome require API keys?

Yes, Cumbersome requires you to bring your own API keys from providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI Studio, or use an OpenAI-compatible endpoint. You pay the providers directly for API access.

### How does Cumbersome compare to subscription AI apps?

Cumbersome offers direct API access, allowing you to choose specific models and pay per use, unlike subscription apps that may route requests to cheaper models and hide technical controls.

### What AI providers does Cumbersome support?

Cumbersome supports ChatGPT/OpenAI, Claude/Anthropic, Gemini/Google AI Studio, OpenRouter, Vercel AI Gateway, Z.ai, and OpenAI-compatible custom endpoints like Ollama and Azure.

### Can I compare different AI models with Cumbersome?

Yes, Cumbersome allows you to switch providers or AI models mid-conversation and compare different models on the same prompt, giving you direct insight into their performance.

### What are the advanced features in Cumbersome?

Features include Face/Off Mode (AI judge picks the best of three responses), extended thinking for model reasoning, full parameter control (temperature, tokens), concurrent chats, and message editing.

### Is Cumbersome available on multiple devices?

Yes, Cumbersome is natively available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with iCloud sync across devices. Nothing is saved to their servers.

### How often is Cumbersome updated?

The latest version is 1.39.0, last updated on March 19, 2026. This indicates a relatively active development cycle for the application.

### What is the age rating for Cumbersome?

Cumbersome has an age rating of 17+, suggesting it is intended for mature users due to the nature of AI interactions and potential content.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.68.1 — 2026-08-23

fix(network): allow longer-running responses
fix(background): silence foreground response completion
fix(camera): keep capture controls visible in landscape
fix(ios-chat): restore first-message header interactions
fix(face-off): present candidate details in a sheet
fix(search): prevent automatic drawer focus
refactor(settings): simplify tool controls

### 1.68.0 — 2026-08-21

feat(background): continue AI responses on iOS 26
feat(themes): add B&W and Terminal appearance modes
feat(custom-providers): support multiple authentication headers
feat(question-cards): add native clarification cards
fix(accessibility): isolate drawer VoiceOver focus
fix(transcript): preserve VoiceOver focus during responses
fix(mcp): preserve numeric zero and one in tool arguments
fix(transcript): unify tool call and result rows
fix(settings): distinguish inline provider options
fix(modals): standardize presentation and dismissal

### 1.67.0 — 2026-08-18

feat(openrouter): add preset model selections
feat(about): streamline support links and layout
feat(settings): order and reorder provider connections
feat(projects): rename conversation folders in app UI
feat(web-agent): add persistent interactive browsing
fix(chat): dismiss stale iOS text selection
fix(ipad-navigation): avoid overlap with window controls
fix(settings): remove redundant custom parameter caption
fix(settings): tighten tool and reasoning guidance
fix(settings): simplify current date context control

### 1.66.0 — 2026-08-15

feat(attachments): add in-app camera capture
feat(message-details): show total conversation tokens
feat(local-search): add configurable provider fallbacks
fix(chat-ui): simplify empty-state and Mind/Meld copy
fix(message-details): include cumulative API token usage
fix(composer): remove visible input placeholder
fix(mind-meld): reset stale hidden model selections
fix(mac-ui): scale detail text with native font metrics
fix(custom-provider): accept SSE data fields without spaces
fix(mac-chat): restore native searchable model popover

### 1.65.0 — 2026-08-13

feat(local-browser): add one-shot JavaScript interaction
feat(pdf): add on-device text extraction fallback
feat(chat): add Copy Chat to conversation menus
fix(macos): make disclosure rows fully clickable
fix(latex): preserve abbreviated currency ranges
fix(gemma): handle Gemma 4 thought channels

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All apps by Folding Sky Co: https://appshunter.io/developer/1842155029

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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 2026-08-25.*