Chatbox, The Jouster's Review

The essentials in 20 seconds

• Open source desktop app (Mac, Windows, Linux) to chat with LLMs via your own API keys
• Supports OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Azure OpenAI, Ollama (local)
• Conversation history stored locally
• Price: free, open source

Verdict: Chatbox is the cleanest desktop client for using your own API keys. Free, lightweight, privacy-first.

What is Chatbox

Chatbox is an open source desktop app that lets you access LLMs via your own API keys. You install it, enter your OpenAI or Anthropic key, and you get a local chat interface that sends nothing to an intermediary server.

An alternative to Claude.ai or ChatGPT when you want to keep history locally and pay directly per usage.

Strengths

Total privacy

Your conversation history is stored locally on your machine. No account, no data sent to a Chatbox server. Just your direct calls to the provider API.

Multi-model in one interface

GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet, Gemini, Llama via Ollama: you switch models in one click within the same interface. Handy for comparing responses.

Free with your keys

No Chatbox subscription. You only pay for the API tokens you use. If you have an OpenAI API key, Chatbox is free.

Limitations

Not suited for non-developers

Entering an API key, understanding available models, and managing costs requires a minimum of technical background. For beginners, Claude.ai or ChatGPT are more accessible.

No advanced features

No image generation, no agents, no plugins. It's a pure chat client. For complex workflows, use the official interfaces.

Pricing

• Free, open source (MIT)
• You pay your providers' API tokens

Alternatives

• LM Studio for local models only
• AnythingLLM to add RAG on your documents
• Open WebUI for a similar self-hostable web interface

Verdict

Chatbox is the ideal tool for developers and technical profiles who want a clean chat interface with their own API keys, no intermediary, and no monthly subscription. For daily use with controlled costs, it's often cheaper than Claude.ai or ChatGPT Plus subscriptions.

FAQ

Does Chatbox store my API keys?

Yes, locally on your device in the app's config file. They're not sent to a remote server.

Does Chatbox work with Ollama for local models?

Yes. It's one of the best combos: Ollama for local models + Chatbox for the interface.

Is there a mobile version of Chatbox?

iOS and Android versions exist but are less mature than the desktop version.

Can I import ChatGPT history into Chatbox?

Not directly. History formats differ and manual migration is tedious.

Chatbox is open source and free. Joute earns no commission on this tool. Learn more about our affiliate policy.