The Elephas Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Elephas in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Elephas
The Insider’s Guide
Private AI knowledge assistant for Mac with local indexing
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI assistants, read from Elephas’s own pages.
Made by Liberation Softwares LLP · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Elephas’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Elephas’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 0 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade
Elephas is a Mac AI assistant built around your own documents. Files and notes are indexed locally into workspaces called Super Brains, sensitive details are redacted on the device before anything reaches a cloud model, and an offline mode runs entirely on local models. A system-wide shortcut adds summarizing, rewriting and grammar fixes in any Mac app, and an iPhone and iPad app gives access to the same knowledge bases.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Elephas, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for asking AI about client files, with details redacted
Elephas is a Mac assistant that indexes your files on the Mac, blanks out 28 types of sensitive data before anything reaches a cloud model, and can run offline.
- 2
Paid plans start at $15.83 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $15.83 per month on the yearly plan, or $19 billed monthly (Standard).
- 3
There is a free plan
20 credits a month for the built-in Elephas AI engine, with no credit card required.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
macOS and iOS.
- 5
Super Brain
Workspaces built from your PDFs, Word and Excel files, notes and transcripts, one per client or project. Files are indexed locally on the Mac and answers cite the source documents.
- 6
Sensitive data redaction
Detects and redacts 28 types of sensitive data, such as names, emails, account numbers and passport numbers, on the device before content reaches a cloud model.
- 7
Offline mode
Runs AI entirely on the Mac with local models so nothing leaves the device. Built-in cloud AI with zero data retention and your own API keys are the alternatives.
- 8
A 1.8 GPA, above 0 of 57
That is against the other AI assistants we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Elephas you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Elephas at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $15.83 per month on the yearly plan, or $19 billed monthly (Standard)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Every new download includes 7 days of Pro, activated automatically, with no credit card required.
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- Liberation Softwares LLP, since 2021
- Category
- AI Assistants
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for asking AI about client files, with details redacted
Elephas is a Mac assistant that indexes your files on the Mac, blanks out 28 types of sensitive data before anything reaches a cloud model, and can run offline. Standard is $19 a month for 100 credits, Super Brain, the knowledge base at the center of it, starts at $39, and it's Apple only, with Windows still a waitlist.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Standard is $15.83 a month on the yearly plan, $19 monthly, which is the dear end of this category for 100 credits. Super Brain, the knowledge base that's the whole point, needs Professional at $32.50, and the full redaction inspector Pro+ at $40.83. |
| Free plan and trial | C | There's a free plan with no card, but it's 20 credits a month for the built-in AI, a fifth of what Standard gets. Every download also gets 7 days of Pro, switched on automatically, with no card asked for. |
| Features | C | Super Brain indexes your own files and answers with sources, 28 types of sensitive data get blanked before anything leaves the Mac, and it runs offline. That's a narrow job, and the headline parts sit above the Standard plan. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record, and there's a fair bit to take in: which plan has Super Brain, what a credit buys, and a Mac App Store build that's missing Super Command and the writing features. The built-in AI does work without keys. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | A Mac app, on macOS 13 or later, with a companion app for iPhone and iPad from the Professional plan up. Windows is a waitlist. It connects to Apple Notes, Notion, Obsidian and Zoom, but it's Apple hardware only. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Elephas is for
- Fits if you handle client files under NDA and want names and numbers redacted before AI sees them
- Works for Mac users who want one searchable index of their own PDFs, notes and transcripts
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're on Windows, which is only a waitlist so far
- Pricey if you want Super Brain, integrations or the iPhone app, since they start on Professional at $39 a month
- Tight if you're staying free, at 20 credits a month for the built-in AI, while Standard gets 100 and Professional 500
- Watch out: the Mac App Store build lacks Super Command and the text-writing features
- Watch out: the full redaction inspector is only on Pro+, at $49 billed monthly
Good to know
Good for
- Consultants, lawyers and accountants working with client files under NDA
- Building a searchable knowledge base from your own documents and notes
- Mac users who want AI writing help inside every app
Worth knowing
- The full app is for Mac only (macOS 13 or later), with a companion app for iPhone and iPad. Windows is on a waitlist.
- The built-in AI runs on monthly credits: 20 on Free, 100 on Standard, 500 on Professional and 1,000 on Pro+. Your own API keys remove the limit.
- Super Brain, integrations and iPhone and iPad access start at Professional, and the full redaction inspector is in Pro+.
- The Mac App Store version lacks Super Command and the text-writing features because of sandbox restrictions.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$15.83
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Elephas has a free plan. Paid plans start at $15.83 per month on the yearly plan, or $19 billed monthly (Standard).
Free
$0
20 credits a month for the built-in Elephas AI engine.
Standard
$15.83
per month on the yearly plan; $19 billed monthly
100 credits a month: AI chat and writing across the Mac, basic document and note workflows, and automatic protection of sensitive data.
Professional
$32.50
per month on the yearly plan; $39 billed monthly
500 credits a month, plus Super Brain, integrations with Apple Notes, Notion and Obsidian, iPhone and iPad access and a basic view of redactions.
Pro+
$40.83
per month on the yearly plan; $49 billed monthly
1,000 credits a month, plus the full redaction inspector, advanced redaction settings, optional offline AI workflows and an onboarding call.
The free plan
20 credits a month for the built-in Elephas AI engine, with no credit card required.
Trying it first
Every new download includes 7 days of Pro, activated automatically, with no credit card required.
Read from elephas.app on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save about 17% with yearly billing
On the yearly plan Standard drops from $19 to $15.83 a month, Professional from $39 to $32.50 and Pro+ from $49 to $40.83.
Stated on elephas.app
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and iOS
Private AI knowledge assistant for Mac with local indexing. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, local-first, AI features, chat assistant, grammar & style.
That's a narrow job, and the headline parts sit above the Standard plan.
- Super Brain
- Workspaces built from your PDFs, Word and Excel files, notes and transcripts, one per client or project. Files are indexed locally on the Mac and answers cite the source documents.
- Sensitive data redaction
- Detects and redacts 28 types of sensitive data, such as names, emails, account numbers and passport numbers, on the device before content reaches a cloud model.
- Offline mode
- Runs AI entirely on the Mac with local models so nothing leaves the device. Built-in cloud AI with zero data retention and your own API keys are the alternatives.
- Super Command
- One keyboard shortcut brings Elephas into any Mac app to summarize, rewrite, translate or fix the grammar of selected text, or to run custom commands called Snippets.
- Built-in AI or your own keys
- The built-in engine runs on OpenAI and Anthropic models. You can also add API keys from more than 15 providers, including OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Groq and DeepSeek, for unlimited usage.
- iPhone and iPad access
- Professional and Pro+ subscribers can open the Super Brains built on the Mac from an iPhone or iPad signed in to the same Apple account.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- Apple Notes
- Notion
- Obsidian
- Zoom
Elephas is made by Liberation Softwares LLP, and has been around since 2021.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/57
Other AI assistants it is graded above
Elephas's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 0 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on free plan and trial (C, above 5 of 57) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $15.83 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 31 of the 38 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 33 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 58 AI assistants we grade, cut by the letter each got. Elephas’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 57
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 57
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 57
- CEase of useAbove 3 of 57
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 57
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 45 AI assistants. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Elephas is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Elephas you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 56 of the 57 other AI assistants grade higher. It costs $189.96 a year.
What you could not
- An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
- Grammar checking as you type, wherever you type.
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. Elephas’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Gemini Notebook, AnythingLLM, BoltAI, Alter and Msty
The 5 tools Elephas is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.4GPA
Gemini Notebook
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Google's AI research assistant that answers from your own sources.
- Only Elephas lists a macOS app.
- Only Gemini Notebook lists a web app.
- Only Gemini Notebook lists an Android app.
- 3.2GPA
AnythingLLM
Free plan · from $50/mo
Open-source AI app for documents, agents and local models.
- Only Elephas lists an iOS app.
- Only AnythingLLM lists a web app.
- Only AnythingLLM lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- 2.4GPA
BoltAI
Free trial · from $79 one-time
Native Mac AI client that runs on your own API keys.
- Elephas has a free plan. BoltAI does not, though it has a free trial.
- BoltAI can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Elephas also covers grammar & style.
- 2.6GPA
Alter
Free plan · from $29/yr
Voice-driven Mac AI assistant that reads on-screen context.
- Only Elephas lists an iOS app.
- Alter can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Elephas also covers grammar & style.
- 2.6GPA
Msty
Free plan · from $149/yr
Private AI workspace for local and online models.
- Only Elephas lists an iOS app.
- Only Msty lists a web app.
- Only Msty lists Windows and Linux apps.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Elephas free?
Elephas has a free plan. 20 credits a month for the built-in Elephas AI engine, with no credit card required.
How much does Elephas cost?
Elephas lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Elephas work on?
Elephas is available on macOS and iOS.
Does Elephas offer any discounts?
Elephas publicly lists the following: Save about 17% with yearly billing.
Does Elephas have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Elephas is listed for macOS and iOS.
Does Elephas have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Elephas is listed for macOS and iOS.
Is Elephas open source?
Elephas is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does Elephas work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
What does Elephas integrate with?
Elephas's listing names Apple Notes, Notion, Obsidian and Zoom. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Elephas have a free trial?
Yes. Every new download includes 7 days of Pro, activated automatically, with no credit card required.
Who makes Elephas?
Elephas is made by Liberation Softwares LLP. It dates from 2021.
What are the alternatives to Elephas?
The closest alternatives to Elephas in our directory are Gemini Notebook, AnythingLLM, BoltAI, Alter and Msty.
How does Elephas compare with other AI assistants?
Elephas's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 0 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 1.
Is Elephas good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Elephas D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $15.83 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 31 of the 38 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Elephas?
To replace Elephas you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Elephas’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Elephas's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-19.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Liberation Softwares LLP. Prices change, so check elephas.app before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Elephas, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/elephas
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Elephas: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/elephas
Know someone choosing between AI assistants?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/elephas/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI assistants after Elephas, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Assistants Insider's GuideEvery one of the 58 AI assistants we grade, compared
- Gemini Insider's GuideGoogle's AI assistant, tied into Gmail, Docs and other Google apps3.8 GPA
- Chatbox Insider's GuideAI chat client for your own API keys or a hosted model plan3.4 GPA
- ChatGPT Insider's GuideOpenAI's general-purpose AI assistant for chat, images and voice3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Elephas’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Elephas is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Liberation Softwares LLP. Prices and plans change: check elephas.app before you buy.