# Private LLM vs BrainMate

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 (#19 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Private LLM | BrainMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$0.99** |
| Rating | [4.1 (742 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-llm-local-ai-chat/id6448106860/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainmate/id6740716650/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **742** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 48.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#19** | — |
| Size | 1.3 GB | 1.3 GB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Numen Technologies Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1683507194) | [MEHDI SQALLI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1788505317) |

## What reviewers say

### Private LLM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-llm-local-ai-chat/id6448106860)

**Currently charting:** #19 Top Paid · Utilities, #138 Top Paid (US App Store)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Amazing AI app
- 🔒 Privacy-focused local LLM app
- 👍 Optimized for Apple devices
- 👍 Wonderful developers and great community
- 👍 Plenty of models to choose from

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes a lot
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🐛 Slow and crashes often
- 🐛 Vile trash and unusable
- 🐛 Inaccurate and provides strange responses

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### BrainMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainmate/id6740716650)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


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