The Jan Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Jan 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.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Jan

The Insider’s Guide

Open-source desktop app for running local and cloud AI models

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI assistants, read from Jan’s own pages.

Made by Menlo Research · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com

3.0GPA

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 Jan’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Jan’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

3.0

GPA, above 39 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade

Jan is an open-source desktop app from Menlo Research for chatting with AI models. It downloads and runs open models on your own computer, where they keep working offline, and it can also connect to cloud providers such as OpenAI and Anthropic with your own API key. The app adds projects, custom assistants, MCP connectors, built-in web search and a local OpenAI-compatible API server. It is free and licensed under Apache 2.0.

To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Jan, taken from its own pages and our grades.

Cloud models need your own API key, and those providers see what you send.

From our report card of Jan

1
Best for running open AI models on your own computer, free
Jan is a free, open-source desktop app that downloads open models like Llama, Gemma and Qwen and runs them on your own computer, offline.
2
It is free
Jan has no paid plan at all. Jan is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license, and no account is needed. Cloud models need an API key from the provider you connect.
3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and Linux.
4
Local models
Downloads and runs open models such as Llama, Gemma and Qwen from Hugging Face using llama.cpp or MLX. The Hub shows whether each model fits your hardware.
5
Cloud providers with your own key
Connects to OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Mistral AI, Groq, OpenRouter and Azure OpenAI, or to any OpenAI- or Anthropic-compatible endpoint, using an API key you supply.
6
Built-in web search
Web search and page fetch tools are on by default for models that support tool use. They run through a keyless Exa endpoint, so no API key or MCP server is needed.
7
A 3.0 GPA, above 39 of 57
That is against the other AI assistants we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
8
Keep it
Jan is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

Jan at a glance

Pricing: Free
Free plan: Yes
Free trial: None stated
Runs on: macOS, Windows, Linux
Made by: Menlo Research
Category: AI Assistants
Our grade: 3.0 GPA, very good

The report card

Best for running open AI models on your own computer, free

Jan is a free, open-source desktop app that downloads open models like Llama, Gemma and Qwen and runs them on your own computer, offline. Cloud models need your own API key, and those providers see what you send. It's desktop only with no Intel Mac support, a 7B model wants 16GB of RAM, and Cowork and memory are still previews.

ToolGPA report cardJanGraded Oct 10, 2026

Subject	Grade	Comment
Value for money	A	It costs nothing. Jan is free and open source under Apache 2.0, with no paid plan and no account. The only bills come from cloud providers, and only if you choose to connect one with your own API key.
Free plan and trial	A	The full desktop app is free: local models, cloud connections, web search and the local API server. Nothing is held back, because there's no paid tier to hold it for.
Features	C	It does the run-models-on-your-own-computer job fully, with projects, assistants, web search and an OpenAI-compatible server. A smaller job than a general assistant, though: no image generation, no voice, and Cowork and memory are nightly-build previews.
Ease of use	B	Install it, pick a model, chat. The Hub shows whether each model fits your hardware, and local ones need no account or key. There's no rating on record for a desktop app, so we go by the listing.
Platforms and integrations	C	macOS, Windows and Linux only, not Intel-based Macs, and no phone or web version at all. It connects to OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Mistral AI, Groq and OpenRouter by key, and its local server feeds tools such as Claude Code.

Grade point averageVery good, out of 4.03.0

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 Jan is for

Fits if you want open models running on your own computer, with no account and no internet
Works for developers who want a local OpenAI-compatible endpoint for their other tools

Who it is not for

Skip it if you want it on your phone or in a browser, because it's desktop only
Tight if your computer is short on memory: Jan's Mac guide suggests 16GB of RAM for 7B models and 32GB for 13B
Not for you if you have an Intel-based Mac, which isn't supported
Watch out: cloud models need your own key from each provider, and that provider sees the messages you send
Too light for images or voice, and Cowork, Jan Agent and memory are previews or still to come

Good to know

Good for

Running open models offline on your own computer
People who want one desktop app for local and cloud models
Developers who want a local OpenAI-compatible endpoint

Worth knowing

Desktop only, on macOS, Windows and Linux. Intel-based Macs are not supported.
Local models need memory: Jan's Mac guide suggests 8GB of RAM for 3B models, 16GB for 7B models and 32GB for 13B models.
Cloud models need your own API key from each provider, and those providers see the messages you send them.
Cowork and the standalone Jan Agent are previews on nightly builds, and the memory feature is marked as coming soon.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

Free

No paid plan at all

Jan is free to use.

The only bills come from cloud providers, and only if you choose to connect one with your own API key.

From our grade for value for money

Free
$0
The full desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux, with local models, cloud provider connections and the local API server.

The free plan

Jan is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license, and no account is needed. Cloud models need an API key from the provider you connect.

Read from jan.ai on Oct 5, 2026.

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux

Open-source desktop app for running local and cloud AI models. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, works offline, local-first, public API, AI features, chat assistant, AI search.

It does the run-models-on-your-own-computer job fully, with projects, assistants, web search and an OpenAI-compatible server.

From our grade for features

Local models: Downloads and runs open models such as Llama, Gemma and Qwen from Hugging Face using llama.cpp or MLX. The Hub shows whether each model fits your hardware.
Cloud providers with your own key: Connects to OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Mistral AI, Groq, OpenRouter and Azure OpenAI, or to any OpenAI- or Anthropic-compatible endpoint, using an API key you supply.
Built-in web search: Web search and page fetch tools are on by default for models that support tool use. They run through a keyless Exa endpoint, so no API key or MCP server is needed.
Projects and assistants: Projects group conversations under shared instructions and files, and custom assistants keep their own instructions for recurring kinds of work.
Local API server: A built-in OpenAI-compatible server at localhost:1337 lets other applications use the models running in Jan, and Claude Code can be set to use them as its backend.
MCP connectors and Cowork preview: MCP servers add tools such as code execution and databases. Cowork, which works through multi-step tasks on files and commands, ships only in nightly builds as a preview.

Where it runs

macOS
Windows
Linux

What it works with

OpenAI
Anthropic
Gemini
Mistral AI
Groq
OpenRouter
Hugging Face
Claude Code

Jan is made by Menlo Research.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

39/57

Other AI assistants it is graded above

Jan's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 39 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 8.

It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 43 of 57) and worst on features (C, above 0).

Jan has no paid plan.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 58 AI assistants we grade, cut by the letter each got. Jan’s own letter is outlined.

AValue for money
Above 38 of 57
AFree plan and trial
Above 43 of 57
CFeatures
Above 0 of 57
BEase of use
Above 21 of 57
CPlatforms and integrations
Above 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. Jan 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

Jan is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 39 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade.

What you could not

An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
A search engine with an AI model behind it.
Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
It plugs into other products, OpenAI, Anthropic and Gemini among them, and has an API.

What this rests on. Jan’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

LM Studio, Msty, AnythingLLM, Open WebUI and Cherry Studio

The 5 tools Jan is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

3.0GPA
LM Studio
Free plan · from $20/mo
Desktop app for running open AI models on your own computer.
- Jan is open source, according to its own site.
- Jan also covers AI search.
- LM Studio also covers AI agents.
Jan and LM Studio compared in full
2.6GPA
Msty
Free plan · from $149/yr
Private AI workspace for local and online models.
- Only Msty lists a web app.
- Jan is open source, according to its own site.
- Msty can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Jan and Msty compared in full
3.2GPA
AnythingLLM
Free plan · from $50/mo
Open-source AI app for documents, agents and local models.
- Only AnythingLLM lists a web app.
- Only AnythingLLM lists an Android app.
- AnythingLLM is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Jan and AnythingLLM compared in full
3.2GPA
Open WebUI
Free plan
Self-hosted chat interface for local and cloud AI models.
- Only Open WebUI lists a web app.
- Jan is open source, according to its own site.
- Open WebUI is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Jan and Open WebUI compared in full
3.2GPA
Cherry Studio
Free plan
Open-source desktop AI client for 50+ model providers.
- Only Cherry Studio lists iOS and Android apps.
- Jan also covers AI search.
- Cherry Studio also covers AI agents.
Jan and Cherry Studio compared in full

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

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 Jan free?

Yes. Jan is free to use.

How much does Jan cost?

Jan lists one plan. Free: $0.

What platforms does Jan work on?

Jan is available on macOS, Windows and Linux.

Does Jan have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Jan is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.

Does Jan have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Jan is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.

Is Jan open source?

Yes. Jan is open source, according to its own site.

Does Jan 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.

Does Jan have an API?

Yes. Jan offers a public API, according to its own site.

What does Jan integrate with?

Jan's listing names OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Mistral AI, Groq, OpenRouter, Hugging Face and Claude Code.

Who makes Jan?

Jan is made by Menlo Research.

What are the alternatives to Jan?

The closest alternatives to Jan in our directory are LM Studio, Msty, AnythingLLM, Open WebUI and Cherry Studio.

How does Jan compare with other AI assistants?

Jan's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 39 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 8.

Is Jan good value for money?

ToolGPA grades Jan A for value for money. Jan has no paid plan.

Could I make my own version of Jan?

Jan is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Jan’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Jan's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-25.

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 Menlo Research. Prices change, so check jan.ai 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

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, "Jan: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/jan

Know someone choosing between AI assistants?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/jan/guide

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See our other guides

The best-graded AI assistants after Jan, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

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Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Jan’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. Jan is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Menlo Research. Prices and plans change: check jan.ai before you buy.

Jan

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