The SillyTavern Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about SillyTavern 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.
SillyTavern
The Insider’s Guide
Free, self-hosted chat interface for LLMs with deep prompt control
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI assistants, read from SillyTavern’s own pages.
Made by SillyTavern community · checked Nov 13, 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 SillyTavern’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on SillyTavern’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 45 of the 87 other AI assistants we grade
SillyTavern is a locally installed user interface for talking to text-generation models, image-generation engines and text-to-speech voices. It connects to many model backends, from local servers to hosted APIs, and focuses on fine control of prompts, characters and lorebooks. It is a community project that the maintainers say will always be free and open source.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about SillyTavern, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for roleplay and character chat with your own model
It is only an interface that you install with NodeJS, you bring the model, and its own docs warn of a steep learning curve.
- 2
It is free
SillyTavern has no paid plan at all.
- 3
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.
- 4
One interface for many backends
Connects to KoboldAI/CPP, Horde, NovelAI, Ooba, Tabby, OpenAI, OpenRouter, Claude, Mistral and other LLM APIs from a single interface.
- 5
Prompt and lorebook control
Offers extensive prompt options and WorldInfo (lorebooks), in line with the project's stated goal of giving users as much control over prompts as possible.
- 6
Image generation and TTS
Integrates with Automatic1111 and ComfyUI APIs for images and supports text-to-speech voice models, alongside auto-translate.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 45 of 87
That is against the other AI assistants we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
SillyTavern is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
SillyTavern at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- It is free
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, Android
- Made by
- SillyTavern community, since 2023
- Category
- AI Assistants
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for roleplay and character chat with your own model
SillyTavern is a free, open-source interface for talking to text, image and voice models, with fine control of prompts, characters and lorebooks. It is only an interface that you install with NodeJS, you bring the model, and its own docs warn of a steep learning curve.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under AGPL-3.0, and anyone can download and run it. Whatever model API you connect is billed by that provider. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright with no plan and no cap from SillyTavern. A hosted model or a local one costs you separately. |
| Features | D | It is an interface and needs a model from somewhere else to be useful. Its docs suggest a 6GB NVIDIA 3000-series GPU for local inference. |
| Ease of use | D | It needs NodeJS 20 or higher, usually installed through Git, and the docs warn of a steep learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, Mac, Linux, a browser and Android through Termux, linking to KoboldAI, NovelAI, OpenAI, OpenRouter, Claude, Mistral and ComfyUI. No iPhone. |
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 SillyTavern is for
- Fits if you like tuning prompts, characters and lorebooks for roleplay
- Works for people who run local models and want one front end for all of them
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you do not want to install NodeJS or use Git, as there is no hosted account
- Too light on its own, as you must supply a model, hosted or local
- Not for you if you want a quick start, as the docs warn of a steep learning curve
- Watch out: Windows 7 is not supported, and Android runs through the Termux guide
- Watch out: the staging branch is not recommended for casual use
Good to know
Good for
- Hobbyists who want detailed control over prompts and characters
- People running local models who want a frontend for them
- Users who prefer free, open-source software they host themselves
Worth knowing
- It must be installed with NodeJS 20 or higher, usually through Git or a launcher, and Windows 7 is not supported.
- It is only an interface: you supply the model, either a hosted API or a local one. The docs suggest an NVIDIA 3000-series GPU with 6GB of VRAM for local inference.
- The docs warn of a steep learning curve, and the staging branch is not recommended for casual use.
- Android runs through the Termux installation guide, and there is no hosted account.
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
SillyTavern is free to use.
Whatever model API you connect is billed by that provider.
Free
$0
Open-source (AGPL-3.0) software you install and run yourself. Model API usage is billed by whichever provider you connect.
Read from docs.sillytavern.app on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux and Android
Free, self-hosted chat interface for LLMs with deep prompt control. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, chat assistant, image generation, text to speech.
It is an interface and needs a model from somewhere else to be useful.
- One interface for many backends
- Connects to KoboldAI/CPP, Horde, NovelAI, Ooba, Tabby, OpenAI, OpenRouter, Claude, Mistral and other LLM APIs from a single interface.
- Prompt and lorebook control
- Offers extensive prompt options and WorldInfo (lorebooks), in line with the project's stated goal of giving users as much control over prompts as possible.
- Image generation and TTS
- Integrates with Automatic1111 and ComfyUI APIs for images and supports text-to-speech voice models, alongside auto-translate.
- Customizable UI
- A customizable interface with a mobile-friendly layout and a Visual Novel Mode for character conversations.
- Third-party extensions
- The project describes growth through third-party extensions, and the code is maintained by more than 300 contributors on GitHub.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
What it works with
- KoboldAI
- NovelAI
- OpenAI
- OpenRouter
- Claude
- Mistral
- Automatic1111
- ComfyUI
SillyTavern is made by SillyTavern community, and has been around since 2023.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
45/87
Other AI assistants it is graded above
SillyTavern's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 45 of the 87 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 68 of 87) and worst on features (D, above 0).
SillyTavern has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 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 88 AI assistants we grade, cut by the letter each got. SillyTavern’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 63 of 87
- AFree plan and trialAbove 68 of 87
- DFeaturesAbove 0 of 87
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 87
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 42 of 87
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 65 AI assistants. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. SillyTavern 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
SillyTavern is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could not
- An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
- An image model, which you can rent by the picture but not make.
- A voice model, which you can rent by the minute but not make.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, KoboldAI, NovelAI and OpenAI among them.
What this rests on. SillyTavern’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
Open WebUI, LibreChat, LM Studio, Jan and Ollama
The 5 tools SillyTavern is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Open WebUI
Free plan
Self-hosted chat interface for local and cloud AI models.
- Only SillyTavern lists an Android app.
- SillyTavern is open source, according to its own site.
- SillyTavern also covers image generation and text to speech.
- 2.8GPA
LibreChat
Free
Open-source, self-hosted chat interface for many AI providers.
- Only SillyTavern lists Windows, macOS, Linux and Android apps.
- SillyTavern also covers image generation and text to speech.
- LibreChat also covers AI search and AI agents.
- 3.0GPA
LM Studio
Free plan · from $20/mo
Desktop app for running open AI models on your own computer.
- Only SillyTavern lists a web app.
- Only SillyTavern lists an Android app.
- SillyTavern is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
Jan
Free
Open-source desktop app for running local and cloud AI models.
- Only SillyTavern lists a web app.
- Only SillyTavern lists an Android app.
- SillyTavern is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Ollama
Free plan · from $20/mo
Run open AI models on your computer or in Ollama's cloud.
- Only SillyTavern lists a web app.
- Only SillyTavern lists an Android app.
- SillyTavern is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
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 SillyTavern free?
Yes. SillyTavern is free to use.
How much does SillyTavern cost?
SillyTavern lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does SillyTavern work on?
SillyTavern is available on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.
Does SillyTavern have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. SillyTavern is listed for Web, Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.
Is SillyTavern open source?
Yes. SillyTavern is open source, according to its own site.
What does SillyTavern integrate with?
SillyTavern's listing names KoboldAI, NovelAI, OpenAI, OpenRouter, Claude, Mistral, Automatic1111 and ComfyUI.
Who makes SillyTavern?
SillyTavern is made by SillyTavern community. It dates from 2023.
What are the alternatives to SillyTavern?
The closest alternatives to SillyTavern in our directory are Open WebUI, LibreChat, LM Studio, Jan and Ollama.
How does SillyTavern compare with other AI assistants?
SillyTavern's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 45 of the 87 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 10.
Is SillyTavern good value for money?
ToolGPA grades SillyTavern A for value for money. SillyTavern has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of SillyTavern?
SillyTavern 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 SillyTavern’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from SillyTavern's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 SillyTavern community. Prices change, so check sillytavern.app before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- SillyTavern, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/sillytavern
- 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, "SillyTavern: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/sillytavern
Know someone choosing between AI assistants?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/sillytavern/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI assistants after SillyTavern, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Assistants Insider's GuideEvery one of the 88 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 SillyTavern’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. SillyTavern is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by SillyTavern community. Prices and plans change: check sillytavern.app before you buy.