Comparison

PocketModel vs Onyx

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

Head to head
About

PocketModel

Features
Read full description

PocketModel brings private, on-device AI chat to your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Start with the easiest path for your device. On supported Apple Intelligence hardware, PocketModel can use Apple Foundation Models with no model download required. Everywhere else, PocketModel highlights a recommended local GGUF model first, then keeps deeper catalog filters available when you want them. PocketModel is built for people who want personal AI without creating an account or sending normal chat requests to a cloud inference service. Features: - Apple Foundation Models support on compatible devices with no download required - Curated local GGUF model catalog with device-aware recommendations - Simple default mode that puts Apple Foundation Models or the recommended local model before advanced filters - Device-fit filtering, runtime budget status, and fallback/degraded state indicators when you need more detail - Private chat history stored on-device - Thinking Mode on supported models - Prompt suggestions for empty chats and follow-up suggestions after replies - Search within the current chat and across saved chats - Edit, regenerate, or fork earlier prompts into a new chat - Image attachments for supported local model workflows - Structured replies with preserved lists, links, and code formatting - Download, pause, resume, retry, update, and remove local models - Advanced: browse and install any GGUF file directly from a model's HuggingFace repository - Bundled and user-imported GGUF models are clearly distinguished in Discover and Library - Redacted diagnostics export that excludes prompt text, conversation text, document text, attachment paths, and personal facts - iPhone, iPad, and Mac support - No sign-up required PocketModel is designed around privacy-first usage. Chat generation and saved history stay on-device during normal use. Network access is used for actions you explicitly trigger, such as downloading model files or listing the files of a Hugging Face model you add.

About

Onyx

Features
Read full description

Meet Onyx, the private AI assistant that runs entirely on your iPhone. Ask anything. Get instant answers. No account, no internet, nothing shared. A REAL AI ASSISTANT, THE ONE YOU ALREADY KNOW Ask questions, brainstorm ideas, write emails and messages, summarize long texts, translate languages, get explanations on any topic, fix your code, prepare for an interview, plan a trip. Onyx does everything you expect from a modern AI chat, with real conversations and follow-up questions. 100% PRIVATE, BY DESIGN Every question and answer stays on your iPhone. Nothing is sent to our servers, and your data is never used. Not even we can see what you ask. WORKS COMPLETELY OFFLINE Download an AI model once and use it anywhere. On a flight, in the subway, abroad with no signal. Onyx keeps working when other AI apps stop. HUNDREDS OF MODELS, ONE PERFECT FOR YOU Llama, Qwen, Gemma, and many more models, all free. Onyx analyzes your iPhone and highlights the ones that will run best on it, so you get the most capable assistant without guessing. FAST AND BEAUTIFUL Answers appear in real time as the AI writes. Clean formatting, elegant design, smooth from start to finish. No subscription. No data collection. Just you and a powerful AI that respects you. Download Onyx and take back control of your AI.

Screenshots

PocketModel4 screens
Onyx4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: PocketModel at none against Onyx's shown. PocketModel also leads on device support (3 vs 1). Onyx's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
PocketModel versus Onyx: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPocketModelOnyx
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeeklyโ€”
AdsNo โ€” betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.018.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size17 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWai Hei LamDavid Azancot

In-app purchases

None

PocketModel

No in-app purchases

None

Onyx

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PocketModel free?
PocketModel is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Onyx free?
Onyx is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do PocketModel or Onyx have ads?
Onyx shows ads; PocketModel does not.

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