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| What matters | 🧩 Jan | 🧩 Ollama |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Jan is an open-source desktop assistant that can run downloaded models locally or connect to online providers. | Ollama provides a local runtime for supported language models and an API for applications. |
| Best for | Offline desktop conversations with local models | Local model APIs and developer prototypes |
| Pricing model | Free | Free plan + paid |
| Free-plan limits | The desktop application is free and open source. Paid provider API calls and computer hardware are separate. Features labelled coming soon on the website are not included here. | Local use is free; the free account includes limited cloud access. Pro and Max cloud plans are paid. Hardware, electricity and each model’s licence remain your responsibility. |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux, API | macOS, Windows, Linux, API |
| Key capabilities | Local model chat Offline inference Remote provider connections Desktop interface Open-source code | Local model runtime Model library Command-line chat Local API macOS installer |
| Strengths | Local execution makes offline text work possible after downloads Remote provider settings let you switch to a hosted model when necessary Public source code lets developers inspect and adapt the application | A local API makes it possible to prototype without an inference subscription The same runtime can serve command-line and application experiments Model choice lets you trade output quality against memory use |
| Limitations | Offline quality and speed depend on the model and hardware Connecting a remote provider changes where prompts are processed | Your computer must have enough memory for the selected model Model licences are separate from the runtime and must be checked for reuse |
| No signup required | Yes | Yes |
| No credit card required | Not verified | Not verified |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Access details reviewed | 2026-10-09 | 2026-10-09 |
| Official pricing / source | Check pricingAccess source | Check pricingAccess source |
| Next step | Explore Jan | Explore Ollama |