# Pal Chat vs Cumbersome

The clearest difference is rating: Cumbersome at 4.9 against Pal Chat's 4.3. Cumbersome also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). Pal Chat's advantage is ratings volume (417 vs 70) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pal Chat sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Cumbersome asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cumbersome holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pal Chat has 417 ratings behind it against 70, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Pal Chat's written reviews are positive against 85% of Cumbersome's.

Pal Chat ships an update every 3 weeks, Cumbersome every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pal Chat | Cumbersome |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (417 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pal-chat-ai-chat-client/id6447545085/reviews) | **[4.9 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cumbersome-ai-llm-api-client/id6753016821/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **417** | 70 |
| Positive reviews | 59.1% of reviews | **85.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 101 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Pulkit Agarwal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1723503441) | [Folding Sky Co](https://appshunter.io/developer/1842155029) |

## 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


### Cumbersome

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cumbersome-ai-llm-api-client/id6753016821)

Connect directly to AI provider APIs for greater control over model selection and parameters. Compare different AI models, pay per use, and customize responses with advanced features. Supports multiple providers and custom endpoints.

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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pal Chat free?

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

### Is Cumbersome free?

Cumbersome is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Cumbersome is rated higher. Pal Chat averages 4.3 out of 5 from 417 ratings, while Cumbersome averages 4.9 from 70 ratings.

### Do Pal Chat or Cumbersome have ads?

Neither Pal Chat nor Cumbersome shows ads.

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

Pal Chat ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cumbersome every 3 days. Most recently, Pal Chat was updated on September 21, 2026 and Cumbersome on September 20, 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.*