Comparison

Private LLM vs BrainMate

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

Head to head
About

Private LLM

This AI assistant offers advanced on-device capabilities for productivity and creativity, ensuring your interactions remain confidential and offline. It supports a wide range of open-source LLM models and integrates seamlessly with Siri and Shortcuts.

Highlights
  • On-device AI processing
  • Wide selection of open-source LLM models
  • Siri and Shortcuts integration
  • Customizable system prompts
  • Offline functionality
  • Family Sharing support
Features
Read full description

Discover the Ultimate Privacy-Focused AI Assistant on iOS: Private LLM Unlock a new realm of productivity and creativity on your iPhone and iPad with Private LLM, the premier AI assistant designed with your privacy in mind. Available for a one-time purchase, it offers a range of AI capabilities without needing a subscription. Experience advanced on-device AI that keeps your interactions confidential and offline. Why Private LLM is Your Go-To AI Companion: - Exclusive AI Model Selection: Choose from a diverse set of open-source LLM models optimized for performance and perplexity on iOS with state of the art OmniQuant quantization: including models from Llama 2, Llama 3.2, Llama 3.1, Google Gemma 2, Gemma 3, Microsoft Phi-3, Mistral 7B, Qwen 2.5, Qwen 3, StableLM 3B and many more. Whether you need help with creative brainstorming, coding, or daily questions, customize your AI experience to meet your unique needs. - Integrated with Siri & Shortcuts: Enhance your AI interactions with Siri commands and customizable Shortcuts. Private LLM seamlessly fits within your Apple ecosystem, making your digital assistant more accessible. - Customizable Interactions: Tailor your AI's responses and interactions with customizable system prompts to match your preferences and needs. - Uncompromised Privacy and Security: With Private LLM, your conversations stay confidential and on your device. Our advanced on-device AI performs robust computing without risking data compromise or needing an internet connection. - Family Sharing & Offline Capabilities: Benefit from a one-time purchase that includes Family Sharing. Download models as needed and enjoy the full functionality of your AI assistant, even without internet access. Supported LLM Model families: - DeepSeek R1 Distill based models - Phi 4 based models - Qwen 3 based models (Qwen3-4B-Instruct-2507) - Qwen 2.5 based models (0.5B, 1.5B, 3B and 7B) - Qwen 2.5 Coder based Models (0.5B, 1.5B, 3B, 7B and 14B) - Llama 3.1 8B based models - Llama 3.2 1B and 3B based models - Google Gemma 2 2B and 9B based models - Google Gemma 3 1B based models - Mistral 7B based models - Yi 6B based models For a full list of supported models, including detailed specifications, please visit privatellm.app/models. Private LLM is not just a chatbot; it's a comprehensive AI companion designed to respect your privacy while providing versatile, on-demand assistance. Whether you're enhancing your creative writing, tackling complex programming challenges, or just seeking answers, Private LLM adapts to meet your needs while keeping your data secure. Start your journey with Private LLM today and elevate your productivity and creative projects with the most private AI assistant for iOS devices. Private LLM is a better alternative to generic llama.cpp and MLX wrappers apps like Enchanted, Ollama, LLM Farm, LM Studio, Locally AI, RecurseChat, etc on three fronts: 1. Private LLM uses a faster and highly-optimized mlc-llm based inference engine. 2. Models in Private LLM are quantized using the state of the art quantization algorithms like OmniQuant, while competing apps use naive round-to-nearest quantization. 3. Private LLM is a fully native app built using C++, Metal and Swift with deep integrations with iOS and iPadOS, while many of the competing apps are bloated and non-native Electron or Flutter based apps. Please note that Private LLM only supports inference with text based LLMs. Model support varies by device capabilities.

About

BrainMate

This AI companion offers five distinct personalities for private, offline conversations. Adapt to your needs with modes for academic discussions, emotional support, fun, motivation, or balanced assistance. All chats remain on your device, ensuring complete privacy and security.

Highlights
  • Five unique AI personalities
  • 100% offline functionality
  • Privacy-first design
  • Real-time responses
  • Smart conversation search
  • Personality switching
Features
Read full description

# BrainMate – Your Multi-Personality AI Companion Say hello to BrainMate, your versatile AI assistant that works anytime, anywhere—no internet required! Featuring five distinct AI personalities, BrainMate adapts to your needs while keeping your conversations private and secure. ## Why BrainMate? **100% Offline:** Your personal AI companion runs directly on your device **5 Unique Personalities:** Choose the perfect AI mood for any conversation **Privacy-First:** All chats stay on your device—no servers, no sharing **Fast & Lightweight:** Optimized for smooth performance on Apple Silicon ## Meet Your AI Companions - **Brainy Mode:** Your academic partner for detailed, analytical discussions - **Sweet Mode:** Gentle, empathetic responses for supportive conversations - **Fun Mode:** Playful and witty exchanges with emoji flair - **Furious Mode:** Direct, passionate responses when you need motivation - **Normal Mode:** Balanced, helpful assistance for everyday chat ## Key Features - **Personality Switching:** Change AI personalities mid-conversation - **Smart Search:** Find past conversations across all personality modes - **Real-time Responses:** Watch as your AI companion thinks and responds - **Offline Freedom:** Chat anywhere without internet connectivity - **One-time Purchase:** No subscriptions, ads, or hidden fees—just $1 for lifetime access ## Perfect For - Brainstorming with different perspectives - Getting varied approaches to problem-solving - Learning through different teaching styles - Creative writing with personality-driven feedback - Quick answers with the perfect tone for your mood Transform your AI experience with BrainMate's unique personality system. Whether you need academic rigor, emotional support, creative inspiration, or motivational energy, there's a perfect AI companion waiting for you. Download now and discover the future of personalized, offline AI interaction!

Screenshots

Private LLM4 screens
BrainMate4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: BrainMate at 5.0 against Private LLM's 4.1. BrainMate also leads on price ($0.99 vs $4.99). Private LLM's advantage is ratings volume (742 vs 2) and chart position (#18 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Private LLM costs $4.99 and BrainMate $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BrainMate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Private LLM has 742 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Private LLM ships an update every 5 weeks, BrainMate every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Private LLM versus BrainMate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate LLMBrainMate
Price$4.99$0.99 — better
Rating4.1 (742 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews48.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings742 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#18 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.5
Further details — not scored
Size1.3 GB1.3 GB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperNumen Technologies LimitedMEHDI SQALLI

Customer experience

Private LLM

All ratings741 ratings
Positive77.2%
Neutral5.5%
Negative17.3%
Written reviews385 reviews
Positive48.8%
Neutral14.0%
Negative37.1%

BrainMate

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Private LLM

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes when downloading larger models
  • Shortcuts integration issues
  • Conversations get cleared when switching away
  • Doesn't work with accessibility features

Requested features

7 requests
  • Allow importing own models
  • Add chat history and export options
  • Implement voice to chat and RAG features
  • Add support for larger models on Mac
  • Provide more information about each model
Show 2 more
  • Allow creating custom prompt presets
  • Integrate with iOS Shortcuts

BrainMate

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Private LLM

No in-app purchases

None

BrainMate

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Private LLM free?
Private LLM costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is BrainMate free?
BrainMate costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Private LLM or BrainMate?
BrainMate is rated higher. Private LLM averages 4.1 out of 5 from 742 ratings, while BrainMate averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Private LLM or BrainMate have ads?
Neither Private LLM nor BrainMate shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Private LLM or BrainMate?
Private LLM ships an update every 5 weeks, and BrainMate every 2 months. Most recently, Private LLM was updated on November 3, 2026 and BrainMate on October 30, 2026.

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