# Realtime Assistant vs LocalAI

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Realtime Assistant at none against LocalAI's 3. Realtime Assistant also leads on iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). LocalAI's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LocalAI sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Realtime Assistant asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Realtime Assistant | LocalAI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Size | 13 MB | 2.6 GB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MediaWave LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/924856469) | [Weigan Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896482773) |

## What reviewers say

### Realtime Assistant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/realtime-assistant/id6756466984)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### LocalAI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localai/id6774885847)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Monthly VIP | $2.49 | per month |
| Upgrade to Yearly VIP | $12.99 | per year |
| Upgrade to Lifetime VIP | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Realtime Assistant free?

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

### Is LocalAI free?

LocalAI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Realtime Assistant or LocalAI have ads?

Neither Realtime Assistant nor LocalAI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Realtime Assistant or LocalAI?

Realtime Assistant ships an update fortnightly, and LocalAI fortnightly. Most recently, Realtime Assistant was updated on September 30, 2026 and LocalAI on October 18, 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.*