Comparison

Cumbersome vs OpenCody

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

Head to head
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 API keys from OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, Google AI Studio, Z.ai, or Vercel AI Gateway, or your own 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 providers like ChatGPT and Claude route requests to cheaper models to keep their costs down. They charge monthly subscriptions whether you use them once or a thousand times. They hide the technical controls that let you tune how models respond. And they lock you into one provider. I wanted an AI client that connects directly to AI provider APIs. I wanted to pick exactly which model I use and know I'm getting it. I wanted to compare different models on the same prompt. I wanted to pay per use instead of subscriptions. So I built it. This is the app I use every day to interact with AI, so I pay attention and try to get it right. SUPPORTED PROVIDERS Bring your API keys, or add your own OpenAI-compatible endpoint, for any of the following: — 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 free app. — 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. See What's New on the App Store for the latest. 2026-07-02: Chat appearance themes and reading fonts (Serif, Rounded, Mono). 2026-06-28: Folder-level system message presets. 2026-06-24: Prompt caching, with cache usage shown across providers. 2026-06-17: Reusable system message presets per conversation. 2026-06-16: Offload long system messages to iCloud Drive. 2026-06-15: Pause custom API parameters with a toggle. 2026-06-11: Compact a conversation to lower API costs. 2026-06-07: Run JavaScript and HTML directly from Cumbersome. 2026-06-04: Choose how OpenRouter parses PDFs and which search engine it uses. 2026-05-12: Configurable Quick Prompt shortcut and App Visibility on Mac. 2026-05-09: Conversation folders. Group, move, and organize chats. 2026-05-03: Collapsible sidebar sections, synced across devices. 2026-04-22: AI image generation with OpenAI and Gemini. 2026-04-18: Local browser tool use. AI can search and browse pages. 2026-04-11: Headless mode. The AI works the browser in the background. 2026-04-03: Searchable model picker for long model lists. 2026-03-15: Extended thinking and reasoning across providers. 2026-03-09: Auto-delete conversations after a set number of days. 2026-02-28: OpenAI-compatible custom providers (Ollama, Azure, LM Studio, Groq). 2026-02-25: Only Search When Requested. Keep web search off until you ask. 2026-02-24: Image paste, interactive attachment previews, and PDF thumbnails. 2026-02-21: Siri and Shortcuts integration. 2026-02-20: Vercel AI Gateway support, with model exclusion filters. 2026-02-06: Voice Control, Larger Text, and higher contrast. 2026-01-11: Major accessibility pass. VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, keyboard nav. 2026-01-06: OpenRouter multi-provider integration. THE DEAL The app is free. You pay providers directly for API access. 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.

About

OpenCody

This app provides a private AI coding assistant that connects to your personal server. It allows you to chat with AI agents, manage projects, and review code changes on your mobile devices. All features are free, with optional in-app purchases for development support.

Highlights
  • Private AI coding assistant
  • Connects to personal OpenCode server
  • Real-time AI agent chat
  • Customizable agents and models
  • Integrated file explorer
  • Multi-project support
  • Privacy-focused design
Features
Read full description

Your private AI coding assistant - anywhere, anytime. Connect OpenCody to your personal OpenCode server and take your development workflow wherever you go. 100% free to use. All features are fully available without any purchase. In-app purchases are completely optional and exist solely to support the ongoing development of OpenCody. Thank you! Everything you need, right in your pocket: - Chat with your AI agent in real time - Choose your preferred agent, provider, and model - Leverage your custom-configured skills - Track every action, review diffs, todos, and files at a glance - Browse your project files with the integrated file explorer - Work across multiple projects and sessions seamlessly - Stay in the loop with notifications - Configure MCP and providers directly from OpenCody Privacy by design: OpenCody communicates exclusively with your own OpenCode server - we don't collect any data. Available for iPad and iPhone. About the developer: https://willsoftwaresolutions.de Privacy: https://willsoftwaresolutions.de/privacy-opencody OpenCody is made in Germany.

Screenshots

Cumbersome4 screens
OpenCody4 screens

Verdict

The call

Cumbersome and OpenCody both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 87% of Cumbersome's written reviews are positive against 33% of OpenCody's. Cumbersome also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly). On price, rating, ads 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. OpenCody sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Cumbersome asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Cumbersome against 5.0 for OpenCody. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cumbersome has 79 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of Cumbersome's written reviews are positive against 33% of OpenCody's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cumbersome ships an update every 3 days, OpenCody monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Cumbersome versus OpenCody: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCumbersomeOpenCody
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (79 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews86.7% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings79 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.0 — better26
Further details — not scored
Size75 MB8 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperFolding Sky CoFabian Will

Customer experience

Cumbersome

All ratings79 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive86.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative6.7%

OpenCody

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral66.7%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Cumbersome

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

OpenCody

One-time3
  • Small Tip Jar$2.99
  • Mid Tip Jar$4.99
  • Big Tip Jar$9.99

Questions

Is Cumbersome free?
Cumbersome is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is OpenCody free?
OpenCody is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cumbersome or OpenCody?
OpenCody is rated higher. Cumbersome averages 4.9 out of 5 from 79 ratings, while OpenCody averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Cumbersome or OpenCody have ads?
Neither Cumbersome nor OpenCody shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cumbersome or OpenCody?
Cumbersome ships an update every 3 days, and OpenCody monthly. Most recently, Cumbersome was updated on September 25, 2026 and OpenCody on August 29, 2026.

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