Comparison

AiWithApi vs Cumbersome

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

Head to head
About

AiWithApi

Access multiple leading AI models in a single, intuitive chat interface. Switch between providers and models in real-time, with flexible pay-per-use options. Enjoy local data storage for enhanced privacy and control over your AI interactions.

Highlights
  • Access to dozens of leading AI models
  • Switch models in real-time
  • Pay-per-use pricing
  • Local data storage for privacy
  • Modern and intuitive chat interface
  • Full conversation history with search
  • Smart memory for context
Features
Read full description

AiWithApi is a powerful AI chat app that gives you access to dozens of leading AI models in one place. Switch between models and providers in real time, even in the middle of a conversation, and enjoy both free tiers like Gemini and OpenRouter as well as premium models from Google Gemini, OpenAI, and OpenRouter. Pay only for what you use with no monthly subscription required. All keys and data are stored locally on your device, giving you full control and privacy. The app features a modern and intuitive chat interface, full support for English and Hebrew, complete conversation history with search, smart memory for short- and long-term context, and customizable parameters for every model. AiWithApi is ideal for anyone seeking a smart, flexible, and cost-effective AI chat experience with total control over usage and costs. Terms: https://afek10.github.io/terms-page/terms_en.html

About

Cumbersome

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
Read full description

IMPORTANT: Requires your own provider API keys or an OpenAI-compatible endpoint. I built Cumbersome because consumer AI apps kept dumbing things down. Cumbersome is the manual transmission of AI apps: more complex, but with far greater control. WHY I BUILT THIS Consumer AI apps hide the controls I want and lock me into one provider. I wanted direct API access, the freedom to pick and compare models, and to pay providers for what I use. This is the app I use every day, so I pay attention and try to get it right. SUPPORTED PROVIDERS - ChatGPT / OpenAI - Claude / Anthropic - Gemini / Google AI Studio - OpenRouter multi-provider - Vercel AI Gateway multi-provider - Z.ai - OpenAI-compatible custom endpoints, including Ollama, Azure, LM Studio, Groq, Together, and self-hosted backends WHAT YOU GET - A versatile API client. One app, every major provider and model. - Total control. Pick your model, tune the parameters, switch providers mid-conversation. - Compare models head to head. Stream multiple chats in parallel and let an AI judge pick the best. - Bring your own tools. Local browser use, reasoning, web search, image generation. - Rich, editable conversations. Markdown, LaTeX, code blocks, attachments, edit and export anything. - Private by design. iCloud sync across devices. Nothing saved to our servers. - Native and accessible on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. MAJOR FEATURES ADDED IN 2026 Highlights only. New in 1.74.0: Incognito chats. Search Project documents and conversations with Pro. 2026-09-21: Independent iPad chat windows. 2026-09-14: Read replies aloud as they arrive. Save and Restart after editing. 2026-08-29: Select multiple chats. Mac export/import of all chats. 2026-08-21: Background replies on iOS 26. Question Cards for clarification. 2026-08-18: Web Agent: a shared, interactive browser. 2026-08-06: Highlight passages and attach notes for your next reply. 2026-08-03: Local Python analysis, charts, Mermaid, Markdown export. 2026-07-31: Gemini video. Responses API for custom providers. 2026-07-28: Parallel browser and MCP tools. 2026-07-23: Mind/Meld combines three AI responses into one. 2026-07-18: Full Simplified Chinese support. 2026-07-12: Ghost/Write drafts your next turn. 2026-07-09: Remote MCP servers and tools. 2026-07-02: Chat themes and reading fonts (Serif, Rounded, Mono). 2026-06-28: Folder system message presets. 2026-06-24: Prompt caching, with usage across providers. 2026-06-17: Reusable system presets per conversation. 2026-06-16: Offload long system messages to iCloud Drive. 2026-06-15: Toggle custom API parameters. 2026-06-11: Compact chats to lower API costs. 2026-06-07: Run JavaScript and HTML. 2026-06-04: OpenRouter PDF parsing and search engine options. 2026-05-12: Quick Prompt shortcut and App Visibility on Mac. 2026-05-09: Folders to group and organize chats. 2026-05-03: Collapsible sidebar sections, synced across devices. 2026-04-22: Image generation with OpenAI and Gemini. 2026-04-18: Local browser search and browsing. 2026-04-11: Headless browser mode. 2026-04-03: Searchable model picker. 2026-03-15: Extended thinking and reasoning across providers. 2026-03-09: Auto-delete chats after a set number of days. 2026-02-28: Custom OpenAI-compatible providers. 2026-02-25: Only Search When Requested. 2026-02-24: Image paste, attachment previews, PDF thumbnails. 2026-02-21: Siri and Shortcuts. 2026-02-20: Vercel AI Gateway and model filters. 2026-02-06: Voice Control, Larger Text, higher contrast. 2026-01-11: VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, keyboard navigation. 2026-01-06: OpenRouter integration. THE DEAL Core features are free. An optional Cumbersome Pro subscription adds advanced Project tools and supports ongoing development. You pay providers directly for API usage. I'm Peter, an indie developer in Reno, Nevada, out among the high desert tumbleweed. No VC money. No growth hacking. Just a tool I wanted to exist.

Screenshots

AiWithApi4 screens
Cumbersome4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Cumbersome at 87% against AiWithApi's 0%. Cumbersome also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.0) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 7 months). AiWithApi's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. AiWithApi sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month and Cumbersome sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cumbersome holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cumbersome has 83 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of AiWithApi's written reviews are positive against 87% of Cumbersome's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AiWithApi ships an update every 7 months, Cumbersome every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
AiWithApi versus Cumbersome: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAiWithApiCumbersome
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (1 ratings)4.9 (83 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews86.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings183 — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB77 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperAfek BanyasFolding Sky Co

Customer experience

AiWithApi

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

Cumbersome

All ratings83 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive86.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative6.7%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

AiWithApi

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly plan$1.991 Month
2 purchases

Cumbersome

Subscriptions2
  • Cumbersome Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Cumbersome Pro Annual$39.991 Year

Questions

Is AiWithApi free?
AiWithApi is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cumbersome free?
Cumbersome is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, AiWithApi or Cumbersome?
Cumbersome is rated higher. AiWithApi averages 3.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Cumbersome averages 4.9 from 83 ratings.
Do AiWithApi or Cumbersome have ads?
Neither AiWithApi nor Cumbersome shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AiWithApi or Cumbersome?
AiWithApi ships an update every 7 months, and Cumbersome every 3 days. Most recently, AiWithApi was updated on October 3, 2026 and Cumbersome on October 9, 2026.

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