Cumbersome vs opchat
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Cumbersome
This app provides direct API access to various AI language models, allowing users to compare providers, tune parameters, and utilize custom tools. It offers rich conversation editing, private iCloud sync, and native support across Apple devices.
- Direct API access to multiple AI providers
- Model and parameter tuning
- Head-to-head model comparison
- Custom tool integration
- Rich, editable conversations
- Private iCloud sync
- Native iOS, iPadOS, and macOS support
Read full descriptionHide full description
Use Apple Private Cloud Compute, your 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 - Apple Private Cloud Compute - 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 New in 2.0.0: Apple Private Cloud Compute. No API key. Requires iOS/iPadOS/macOS 27, an Apple Intelligence device, and internet. Apple usage limits apply. 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 API providers directly for 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.
opchat
Chat with multiple AI models using your own API keys or run them on your device. Integrates with your calendar, reminders, and productivity apps. Offers custom personas and conversation organization.
- Multi-provider AI chat
- On-device model execution
- Bring Your Own Key (BYOK)
- Calendar and reminder integration
- Customizable AI personas
- Conversation organization and export
- Image generation and editing
Read full descriptionHide full description
opchat lets you chat with all major AI models in one place — using your own API keys or running models directly on your device. Your API keys stay on your device, encrypted with secure storage. Your conversations go directly to the AI provider you choose and never pass through our servers. No middleman, no subscriptions, no ads. BRING YOUR OWN KEYS Connect OpenAI (GPT), Anthropic (Claude), Google (Gemini), DeepSeek, OpenRouter, Straico, Azure, Ollama, or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Switch between models mid-conversation or set a default per persona. ON-DEVICE MODELS Run AI models directly on your device — completely offline, no API key needed. Browse and download models from Hugging Face. Your data never leaves your phone. Perfect for privacy-sensitive use or when you're offline. YOUR PHONE, YOUR APPS • Calendar — ask what's on your schedule or add events, across every calendar on your phone (Google, Outlook, iCloud) • Reminders & Contacts — add to your lists, look up a number or a birthday • Notion, Google Workspace, Todoist, Linear, Jira & Confluence — connect in a tap • MCP servers — add any tool server by URL • Your own skills — describe an API and the AI builds the connector BUILT-IN TOOLS • Web search and page reading with your own Serper, Tavily or Firecrawl key • Image generation & editing • Memory — the AI remembers what matters across conversations • Reminders and to-do lists • Dictation and read-aloud CUSTOM PERSONAS Create AI assistants tailored to your needs. Set a system prompt, personality, speaking style, knowledge areas, and conversation starters. ORGANIZE YOUR WORK Group conversations into projects. Pin important chats. Search across all your history. Export conversations as Markdown or JSON. FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE Choose from multiple themes or create your own with custom colors. Pick from 23 fonts. Adjust message density, roundness, and font size. FREE AND PRO Free forever: chat with one cloud AI provider of your choice, on-device models, web search, memory, reminders, dictation and one persona. Pro is a one-time purchase — no subscription: all your AI providers at once, Standby and hands-free voice mode, integrations and MCP, your own skills, image generation, unlimited personas, all themes and fonts. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No ads and no data selling. Your API keys are encrypted on-device, and your conversations go straight to your chosen AI provider — we never see them. The app sends anonymous usage statistics and crash reports to help us improve it. Use on-device models or Ollama for fully local AI with no data leaving your phone. AI-GENERATED CONTENT All responses are generated by third-party AI models and may be inaccurate or incomplete. Content safety is enforced by each provider's built-in policies. You can report any AI-generated response directly within the app. Terms of Use: https://opchat.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://opchat.app/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Cumbersome at 4.9 against opchat's 4.0. Cumbersome also leads on ratings volume (102 vs 2) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). opchat's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 89%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Cumbersome sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and opchat sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Cumbersome holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cumbersome has 102 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 89% of Cumbersome's written reviews are positive against 100% of opchat's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Cumbersome ships an update every 4 days, opchat every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 9, 2026.
| Parameter | Cumbersome | opchat |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (102 ratings) — better | 4.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 88.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 102 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 80 MB | 170 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Folding Sky Co | Przemyslaw Klosek |
Customer experience
Cumbersome
opchat
In-app purchases
Cumbersome
- Cumbersome Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
- Cumbersome Pro Annual$39.991 Year
opchat
- Pro Unlock Promo$9.99
- Pro Unlock$14.99
