# Pal Chat vs Local Chat

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Local Chat at 80% against Pal Chat's 60%. Local Chat also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.3) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). Pal Chat's advantage is ratings volume (440 vs 55) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pal Chat sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Local Chat sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Local Chat holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pal Chat has 440 ratings behind it against 55, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Pal Chat's written reviews are positive against 80% of Local Chat's.

Pal Chat ships an update every 3 weeks, Local Chat every 9 days. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pal Chat | Local Chat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (440 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pal-chat-ai-chat-client/id6447545085/reviews) | **[4.5 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/local-chat-private-ai-chatbot/id6504043428/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **440** | 55 |
| Positive reviews | 59.5% of reviews | **79.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 104 MB | 164 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Pulkit Agarwal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1723503441) | [Anthony R. DePasquale](https://appshunter.io/developer/1696305034) |

## What reviewers say

### Pal Chat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pal-chat-ai-chat-client/id6447545085)

This app acts as a universal AI chat client, supporting a wide range of models and features like image input, image generation, and offline capabilities. It offers a private and secure experience with no data collection and no ads.

**Highlights:** Supports all major AI models, Image input and generation, Offline local model support, Save prompts and history, Stream responses, Full Markdown and LaTeX support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pal Chat Pro | $6.99 | per month |
| Pal Chat Pro Annual | $68.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent app design
- 🔒 Allows use of own API keys
- 👍 Customizable prompts and instructions
- 🚀 Efficient token usage tracking
- 👍 Responsive developer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes with OpenRouter models
- 🐛 Keyboard lag and UI issues
- 💰 Subscription model for previously free features
- 🐛 Rendering issues with mathematical formulas
- 🐛 Inconsistent UI indicators for model outputs

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to change AI provider
- Freezing on long responses
- Unavailability of certain models (e.g., GPT-4o-mini)

**Requested features**

- Conversation history search
- Support for local/self-hosted models
- Multimodal support (vision, audio)
- Ability to edit/delete messages in conversation
- Dynamic model listing from providers


### Local Chat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/local-chat-private-ai-chatbot/id6504043428)

Run powerful open language models directly on your Apple devices, even offline. Enjoy private conversations with AI assistants that can be customized to your needs. Save and sync chats across your Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

**Highlights:** Offline AI chat, Open language models, Private conversations, Cross-device sync, Customizable personality, Model selection

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Local Chat Pro | $8.99 | per month |
| Local Chat Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| Local Chat Pro | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pal Chat free?

Pal Chat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Local Chat free?

Local Chat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pal Chat or Local Chat?

Local Chat is rated higher. Pal Chat averages 4.3 out of 5 from 440 ratings, while Local Chat averages 4.5 from 55 ratings.

### Do Pal Chat or Local Chat have ads?

Neither Pal Chat nor Local Chat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pal Chat or Local Chat?

Pal Chat ships an update every 3 weeks, and Local Chat every 9 days. Most recently, Pal Chat was updated on November 7, 2026 and Local Chat on November 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*