# Chatbox vs NativeTavern

The clearest difference is rating: Chatbox at 4.6 against NativeTavern's 3.9. Chatbox also leads on ratings volume (665 vs 23) and review sentiment (78% vs 67%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Chatbox holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chatbox has 665 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Chatbox's written reviews are positive against 67% of NativeTavern's.

Chatbox ships an update weekly, NativeTavern every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chatbox | NativeTavern |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (665 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chatbox-powerful-ai-client/id6471368056/reviews)** | [3.9 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nativetavern-ai-characters/id6757631215/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **665** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | **77.8% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 48 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [2.5 HK LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1772881024) | [威 周](https://appshunter.io/developer/1392984149) |

## What reviewers say

### Chatbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chatbox-powerful-ai-client/id6471368056)

This application acts as a universal client, connecting you to leading AI models across various devices. It offers features like code assistance, image generation, and smart file understanding, all while prioritizing local data storage for privacy.

**Highlights:** Connect to multiple AI models, Analyze documents, images, and code, AI-powered code generation and optimization, Text-to-image generation, Local data storage for privacy, Cross-device synchronization

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good customization options
- 🚀 Works well with local LLMs
- 💡 Supports multiple API formats
- 🔒 Privacy-focused (account-free)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Local network access issues on iOS
- 🐛 Compatibility problems with older iOS versions
- 🐛 Streaming response issues
- 🐛 UI/UX not optimized for mobile

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot select Ollama models
- Custom API URL connections failing
- Live scrolling issues during streaming
- Proxy settings not working on mobile

**Requested features**

- Add support for local Ollama models
- Improve organization features (folders, projects, etc.)
- Implement iCloud syncing
- Add Chinese language support


### NativeTavern

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nativetavern-ai-characters/id6757631215)

This app allows AI roleplay enthusiasts to import character cards and chat freely. It supports various character card formats and offers flexible configuration options for a customizable chat experience. Sensitive data is stored locally for enhanced security and privacy.

**Highlights:** Import SillyTavern character cards (PNG/JSON), Import character cards via URL, Configure custom API and AI models, Set up 'Persona' for roleplay, Local storage for sensitive data, Optimized AI model responses, Customizable chat experience

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chatbox free?

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

### Is NativeTavern free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chatbox or NativeTavern?

Chatbox is rated higher. Chatbox averages 4.6 out of 5 from 665 ratings, while NativeTavern averages 3.9 from 23 ratings.

### Do Chatbox or NativeTavern have ads?

Neither Chatbox nor NativeTavern shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chatbox or NativeTavern?

Chatbox ships an update weekly, and NativeTavern every 2 weeks. Most recently, Chatbox was updated on October 30, 2026 and NativeTavern on October 22, 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.*