Msty, Joute's Review

The Essentials

• Multi-LLM desktop client with real-time side-by-side comparison of multiple models
• Free with BYOK, optional premium
• Supports cloud models (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini) and local (Ollama, LM Studio)
• Suited for power users and engineers who want to compare different LLM responses

What is Msty?

Msty is an AI chat desktop client available on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Its signature feature: real-time side-by-side comparison of multiple LLM models. You send a prompt, multiple models respond in parallel in adjacent columns. The tool also supports local models via Ollama and LM Studio, in addition to the usual cloud APIs.

Strengths

Unique side-by-side comparison

Send the same prompt to GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet, and Llama 3 simultaneously and compare responses side by side. A feature impossible in provider native interfaces.

Integrated local models

Native integration with Ollama and LM Studio. You run models on your machine and use them in Msty without additional configuration.

Clean and fast interface

The application is well designed and responds quickly. Better than most open source multi-LLM clients.

Limits

BYOK for the best models

You need your own API keys to access cloud models. Token costs accumulate if you use powerful models intensively.

No agents or plugins

Msty remains a chat client, not an agent. No browsing, no native code execution.

Pricing

Free with BYOK. Optional premium plan for additional features. Check msty.app.

Alternatives

For a more productivity-oriented multi-LLM client: TypingMind at $39 one-shot. For local LLM chat only: Ollama with LM Studio. For team collaboration: Chatbox.

Verdict

Msty is the best tool if you want to compare LLMs in real time. That's its unique advantage. For standard daily chat use, TypingMind or directly the native interfaces get the job done.

FAQ

Does Msty work on Windows?

Yes, Msty is available on macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Can you save conversations in Msty?

Yes, conversation history is saved locally.

Does Msty support images and vision?

Yes, multimodal models (GPT-4 Vision, Claude 3) can analyze images in Msty.

How does Msty compare models in terms of cost?

Msty doesn't natively display real-time costs. You manage billing directly with each provider.

Joute may earn a commission on subscriptions taken out via links in this article. This doesn't change our reviews.