Yes. Jan is an open-source project.

Can Jan run local models?

Yes. It is designed to work with local models as well as supported online providers.

Jan is built with a local-first, privacy-focused approach so your data can stay on your machine when using local models.

Does Jan support web search?

Yes. The website highlights web search as an available feature.

What platforms does Jan support?

Jan offers desktop downloads, including a Mac release and other platform releases via GitHub.

AI Chatbot

Jan

Jan is an open-source, local-first AI chat app that works as a private ChatGPT replacement.

Jan

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What is Jan?

Jan is an open-source AI chat application designed as a local-first alternative to ChatGPT. It lets users chat with open models or connect supported online model providers, with a focus on privacy, local deployment, and a polished desktop experience.

Jan vs Similar AI Tools

	Jan	NOLO	Yoggi	Aymo AI
Pricing Model	Free	Free, Freemium	Free, Freemium	Free, Freemium
Free Credits
Key Features	Open-source desktop AI chat app Local-first private usage Supports open models and online model providers	No account or email required – fully anonymous Multiple AI models: Fast, Plus, Pro, and Vision Supports image and file uploads (PDF, Word, spreadsheets, photos)	Safe-by-design content filtering: violence, sexuality, and inappropriate topics are refused by the AI itself. Age adaptation: vocabulary, sentence length, and complexity adjust automatically to the child's age. Voice-first for young kids: children who can't read or type can use voice input and output.	Access to multiple AI models (GPT, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek, Grok, etc.) Team collaboration in private workspaces File upload support (PDF, code, docs) with contextual understanding
Pros	Open source and privacy-focused Supports local models	Fully anonymous, no account or email needed Multiple AI models with different capabilities	Highly safe with built-in content filtering and no inappropriate topics. Age-adaptive responses for different developmental stages.	Access to multiple leading AI models in one platform Built-in team collaboration features
Cons	Feature availability may vary by provider or model setup Requires some setup for local models and provider connections	Free plan has limited daily credits and no web search Chats are not encrypted on device (only locked)	Free tier limited to 50 messages lifetime. Image generation produces only cartoon-style images.	Limited messages and credits on the free plan Advanced features require paid subscription
Best For	Users who want a private AI chat app People running local LLMs on their own machine	Privacy-conscious users Anyone seeking a ChatGPT alternative without registration	Parents seeking a safe AI for their children Kids aged 3-15 looking for a friendly AI companion	Teams needing diverse AI model access Content creators and researchers

How to use Jan?

1Download Jan for your operating system from the official releases page.
2Install and open the desktop app.
3Choose a model source, such as a local open model or a supported online provider.
4Configure providers in settings if you want to use external models.
5Start chatting and optionally enable features like web search or memory where available.

Jan Key Features

Open-source desktop AI chat app
Local-first private usage
Supports open models and online model providers
Polished native interface
Web search support
Memory features for context carryover
MCP support
Available for Mac and other desktop platforms via releases

Jan Use Cases

Private everyday chatting with AI
Running local models on your own machine
Testing open-source LLMs in a friendly UI
Using supported hosted models in one app
Research tasks with web search enabled
Personal productivity and note-like assistance

Jan Pricing & Free Credits

Jan currently operates on a Free model.

This tool is completely free to use

Free

Jan is free and open source, with downloads available from GitHub releases.

Jan Pros & Cons

Pros

Open source and privacy-focused
Supports local models
Clean, native desktop experience
Works with multiple model providers
Includes web search and memory features

Cons

Feature availability may vary by provider or model setup
Requires some setup for local models and provider connections
Primarily a desktop app rather than a web-only service

What is Jan best for?

Users who want a private AI chat app
People running local LLMs on their own machine
Developers and enthusiasts testing open models
Anyone seeking an open-source ChatGPT alternative

Jan FAQ

Top free alternatives to Jan

NOLO

NOLO is a private ChatGPT alternative that requires no account or email, offering anonymous AI chat with features like image uploads, file handling, web search, and speech-to-text.