Jan
Jan is a free, open-source desktop app for chatting with AI models that run offline on your computer, with optional connections to cloud models.
About this tool
Jan is an open-source chat app, often compared with ChatGPT, that can run entirely on your own computer. It downloads open models from Hugging Face, such as Llama, Gemma, Qwen and OpenAI’s open-weight models, and runs them locally so conversations never have to leave the machine. When more capability is needed, it can connect to cloud models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, Groq and others using your own keys.
Beyond chat, Jan lets you create custom assistants for specific tasks and remembers context and preferences across conversations. It exposes an OpenAI-compatible API on a local server, so other applications on your computer can use the models it runs, and it supports the Model Context Protocol for connecting tools. Releases are available for the main desktop operating systems.
What you can do
Local models
Download and run open-weight models from Hugging Face directly on your own hardware.
Cloud connections
Plug in models from providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral and Groq with your own API keys.
Local OpenAI-compatible API
A local server lets other apps call the models Jan runs as if they were using OpenAI’s API.
Custom assistants and MCP
Create task-specific assistants and connect tools through the Model Context Protocol.
Who is it for?
- A lawyer drafts notes with a local model so client information stays on the laptop.
- A developer points a coding tool at Jan’s local API to test open models for free.
- A traveller uses an AI assistant offline on a long flight.
Before you choose
Local models need enough memory and a capable GPU or Apple Silicon chip; smaller machines will run only small models slowly.
Local open models are generally less capable than top cloud models, so check quality on your own tasks.
Frequently asked questions
Is Jan free?
Yes. Jan is free and open source. Cloud models you connect are billed separately by their providers through your own keys.
Does Jan work offline?
Yes. When you use downloaded local models, Jan runs entirely on your computer without an internet connection.
Can other apps use the models in Jan?
Yes. Jan provides an OpenAI-compatible API on a local server, so compatible applications can send requests to it.
Check the official website for current features, pricing, and terms.
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