Comparison

Pal Chat vs LLMster

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pal Chat

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
Read full description

The last AI iOS app you'll need! Pal Chat is a lightweight, powerful, and feature-rich AI Chat Client for your iPhone. It supports EVERY AI model in one interface, including support for: GPT-5.5, Claude 4.7, Gemini 3.1, Grok 4.3, Cursor, Advanced Voice Mode, Image input, GPT-Image 2, Groq, Perplexity, OpenRouter, DeepSeek, Mistral, Fal.ai, Together.ai, custom endpoints, and fully offline local models. No ads, fully private and secure - NO data is collected. Features Overview: - Save multiple prompts and system messages - Store conversation history on-device - Use Image input to process images - Generate images through GPT-Image, Stable Diffusion, Flux, or Fal.ai - Regenerate responses - Edit your questions - Stream the response - Easily switch between models - See the token length and cost of the conversation - Copy an entire conversation from the history page - Full Markdown, LaTeX, and Syntax Highlighting Support - Siri Shortcuts Support Some Benefits of the App over the website: - No usage limits - Privacy - History is only stored on-device - Lets you edit the system message and temperature values - Universal - easily switch many different models Make sure to get an API Key! ‘Pal’ is not liable for any content generated. Terms of Use: https://bit.ly/termsOfUsePalChatEULA Privacy Policy: https://bit.ly/privacyPolicyPalChatEULA

About

LLMster

Connect to local AI models running on your server for private, fast conversations. Stream replies, reasoning, and image-based interactions. Organize, back up, and restore your chat library securely.

Highlights
  • Connects to local LM Studio servers
  • Private by design, no cloud relay
  • Organize chats by model, folder, or pin
  • Backup and restore chat library
  • Supports vision models with image input
  • Hands-free voice chat with on-device speech recognition
  • Customizable system prompts and tool integrations per chat
Features
Read full description

LLMster is a fast, private iPhone and iPad client for models running on your LM Studio server (https://lmstudio.ai). Stream replies, reasoning, tool activity, and image-based conversations from the models you host—in an app designed to feel at home on iOS. Private by design LLMster connects directly to the server you choose. There’s no LLMster account, telemetry, hosted chat service, or cloud relay in the middle. Your conversation library stays on your device, while model context stays with your configured server. External integrations run only when you choose to enable them. Your models, wherever you run them Keep your models on the machine built for them: a workstation, home server, or always-on computer. Run the LM Studio desktop app or LM Studio’s headless daemon, point LLMster at the host, and start chatting. No companion desktop client is required. Choose the right model without leaving the conversation: • Search or sort by name, size, or format, then pin favorites • See which models support vision, reasoning, or tool calls • Change models without starting a new chat Organized from the start Search chats by title, model, or folder. Browse recent conversations across every folder, then organize, rename, pin, or duplicate important threads. Move and protect your chats Share individual conversations as .llmster files and import them on another device while preserving messages, images, reasoning, tool history, and chat settings. Back up and restore your entire local chat library—including folders, pins, drafts, and attachments—with optional password protection. Backups do not include server addresses, authentication keys, or app-wide settings. LLMster also verifies transferred response context against your configured LM Studio server before continuing a chat. Vision, direct to your server Attach up to four screenshots, photos, or scanned pages to a message and send them to a compatible vision model. LLMster resizes and compresses images on your device before sending them, so the originals remain with you. Open any attachment and pinch to zoom when you need to inspect the details. Hands-free voice chat Talk naturally using on-device speech recognition and text-to-speech. Audio stays on your device; only the resulting text is sent to your configured server. Natural turn-taking and subtle haptics keep the conversation moving without touching the screen. Control each conversation Every chat can have its own: • Integrations already configured in LM Studio • Custom system prompt • Tool-call visibility • Live reasoning preference Stream reasoning as Markdown while the model works, or keep the interface quiet with a compact Thinking indicator and open the completed reasoning when you want it. Control response auto-scrolling, and choose System, Light, or Dark appearance with your preferred accent color. Rich responses, as they arrive LLMster renders streaming Markdown smoothly, including syntax-highlighted code with copy controls, inline and block math, tables, links, lists, and more. Export or share transcripts with their original Markdown intact. Keep going while you move on Run LM Studio on a workstation or headless server and connect from your phone. With Tailscale on both devices, you can keep chatting over cellular or another Wi-Fi network while your models run at home. Setup instructions are available at https://llmster.app/support

Screenshots

Pal Chat4 screens
LLMster4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: LLMster at 5.0 against Pal Chat's 4.3. LLMster also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 60%) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Pal Chat's advantage is ratings volume (438 vs 3) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

LLMster holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pal Chat has 438 ratings behind it against 3, 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 100% of LLMster's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pal Chat ships an update every 3 weeks, LLMster every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Pal Chat versus LLMster: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPal ChatLLMster
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (438 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews59.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings438 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size104 MB10 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperPulkit AgarwalDave Sebek

Customer experience

Pal Chat

All ratings438 ratings
Positive80.6%
Neutral5.0%
Negative14.4%
Written reviews131 reviews
Positive59.5%
Neutral13.0%
Negative27.5%

LLMster

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Pal Chat

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

LLMster

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Pal Chat

Subscriptions2
  • Pal Chat Pro3 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Pal Chat Pro Annual7 Days trial$68.991 Year
None

LLMster

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pal Chat free?
Pal Chat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is LLMster free?
LLMster is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Pal Chat or LLMster?
LLMster is rated higher. Pal Chat averages 4.3 out of 5 from 438 ratings, while LLMster averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Pal Chat or LLMster have ads?
Neither Pal Chat nor LLMster shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pal Chat or LLMster?
Pal Chat ships an update every 3 weeks, and LLMster every 10 days. Most recently, Pal Chat was updated on November 4, 2026 and LLMster on October 31, 2026.

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