Invoke vs Chat for Ollama
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Invoke
This app allows you to chat with your own locally hosted AI models, offering a private and secure experience. It connects to Ollama or LM Studio servers on your local network, requiring some technical setup for a fully offline AI conversation.
- Connects to local LLM servers
- Offline and privacy-focused
- Supports Ollama and LM Studio
- Real-time message streaming
- Chat history management
- Dark Mode support
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Note: This app is intended for users who are able to set up a local LLM server (Ollama or LM Studio) within their own LAN environment. Some technical setup is required. Chat with your local LLM! Seamlessly connect to Ollama or LM Studio for a fully offline, privacy-focused AI chat experience! This iOS app connects to a locally hosted Large Language Model (LLM) server and enables seamless, natural conversations. Compatible with Ollama and LM Studio via HTTP, it provides real-time message streaming and intuitive chat history management. The app operates entirely within a local network—no internet connection required—making it ideal for those who prioritize privacy and security. Key Features: - Easy connection to local LLM servers (Ollama / LM Studio) - Natural chat UI with bubble-style layout - Auto-saving and browsing chat history - Server and model selection via settings screen - Supports Dark Mode
Chat for Ollama
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Chat for Ollama is a client for the Ollama or LM Studio server you already run yourself: on a Mac under the desk, in a homelab, or across your own private network. Your questions go to your machine and nowhere else. The app needs a running server: it does not run models on the phone and does not download any. EVERYTHING YOUR SERVER CAN DO IS FREE - Streaming answers from every model on your server - Switch models mid-chat, the conversation stays - Thinking output from reasoning models, collapsed above the answer - Image input for models with vision - System prompt, temperature, Top-P and context length per chat - Unlimited history, stored on the device No server feature is behind a purchase. What you pay for is convenience the app adds, not something Ollama already gives you. CONNECTING, WITHOUT THE GUESSWORK Most first attempts fail for one reason: Ollama listens on 127.0.0.1 by default, so the phone cannot reach it — and no error message says so. - Scan your local network for servers on port 11434 - Paste a copied address straight from the clipboard - When a connection fails you get a screen, not an error code: what was tried, what came back, what it means, and the exact command to fix it with a copy button - Reachability dot per server THE CHAT ITSELF - Markdown, tables and code blocks with a copy button per block - Speed readout after each answer: tokens per second and duration - Context meter that warns before the server silently truncates the history - Copy, regenerate, edit your own message, delete - Stop button that really cancels the generation and keeps the partial text - Loading indicator with a counter when a cold model has to be read from disk - Chat list with automatic titles, search and pinning - Split-view layout on iPad ALSO WORKS WITH OPENAI-COMPATIBLE SERVERS Anything serving /v1/chat/completions on a machine you run — LM Studio, llama.cpp, vLLM, or Ollama's own compatibility endpoint. Same chat, same streaming, same cancelling. ONE-TIME UNLOCK, $5.99 No subscription and no second tier. The unlock adds: - Several servers with quick switching - Named presets for system prompt and parameters - Attachments: text, Markdown, code and PDF files are extracted as text - Export a chat as Markdown PRIVACY No account, no sign-up, no telemetry, no analytics, no crash reporting. Chats and server addresses stay on the device, API keys go into the Keychain. A network capture shows nothing but the server you entered yourself. WHAT YOU NEED An Ollama server (or an OpenAI-compatible one) that your iPhone can reach — same network, or through a mesh VPN you already use. There is a demo mode if you want to look around first. Chat for Ollama is an independent app. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Ollama project.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Invoke at none against Chat for Ollama's 1. Invoke also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Chat for Ollama sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Invoke asks for nothing beyond the download.
Invoke ships an update weekly, Chat for Ollama every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Invoke | Chat for Ollama |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (10 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 58.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 10 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | kazuhiko sugimoto | Timothy Krechel |
In-app purchases
Invoke
No in-app purchases
Chat for Ollama
- Full Unlock$5.99









