Purpose
BoltAI is a native macOS AI app positioned as a private AI workspace for advanced Mac users. It unifies cloud large models such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini with local large language models into a single fast desktop client, helping users complete tasks such as code explanation, text rewriting, and web page summarization without switching apps. The official description states that its goal is to "make everything AI needs to run on your Mac."
Main capabilities
- Multiple models and providers: Supports mainstream cloud providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Mistral, Azure OpenAI, and Amazon Bedrock, as well as local models running through Ollama and LM Studio. A default model can be set, and it can also be overridden per chat or per agent, with support for multi-agent conversations comparing multiple models.
- Native performance and quick actions: Built on SwiftUI and AppKit, compatible with universal shortcuts, and optimized for Apple M1/M2/M3/M4. It provides an Instant Chat floating window invoked by a global shortcut to explain code, rewrite text, or summarize web pages at any time.
- Diverse interaction methods: Includes screenshot questioning (ShotSolve), instant dictation and inline editing, document Q&A, multi-agent chat, and project-based workflows.
- Extensibility: Can connect to local and remote MCP servers, switch tools per agent, and configure workflows.
- Privacy by design: Chats are stored locally in an SQLite database on the Mac, API keys can be encrypted with a self-set password, the official statement says user content is not used to train models, and prompts and responses are not viewed by default.
- Cross-device sync (optional): After enabling cloud sync, the same sessions, agents, and projects can be securely synced across Mac, iPhone, and iPad, with data encrypted in transit and at rest.
- Offline capability: Local features can be used completely offline; only cloud sync and services that obviously require an internet connection need connectivity.
How to use
BoltAI is a client app and does not bundle AI credits; it uses a "bring your own key (BYOK)" model. Users need to prepare their own API keys for providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, and Mistral, and add, encrypt, and switch them in the app. It can also be used through Codex CLUse ChatGPT or Claude subscriptions within BoltAI via I or Claude Code integration. After selecting a model, requests can be sent through chat, the Instant Chat floating window, ShotSolve, dictation, and agents. The official description also mentions support for setting a default model, overriding the model per conversation or agent, and comparing multiple agents side by side.
Use cases
Suitable for privacy-sensitive professional or commercial use, such as users who use their company's own OpenAI/Anthropic accounts and are bound by existing data processing agreements. It is also suitable for developers and knowledge workers who want to consolidate multiple models on a Mac, reduce context switching, and pursue native performance and quick interactions. User feedback quoted officially mentions that their company provides critical software services for Spotify, Google, Coinbase, Binance, and others, and that previously they had to leave the current task and jump to tools like ChatGPT, while BoltAI makes this process smooth.
Pricing model
The official FAQ states a perpetual license plus one year of updates: after purchase, that version can be used permanently, and you receive a 12-month update and sync plan, including new features, bug fixes, macOS/iOS compatibility updates, and cloud sync and mobile access (storage amount depends on the tier). After the first year, the app remains usable locally on Mac, cloud sync and mobile access are paused, and cloud data becomes read-only for up to 24 months and can be exported at any time. You can renew updates and sync at any time with a 40% discount (that is, paying 60% of the pre-discount price), renewal is optional, and auto-renewal is off by default. AI usage and tokens are billed by the user's own provider according to their account, and local models run on the machine with no per-token fees. The official offering also includes an education discount for students, teachers, and researchers, which requires applying with a school email or proof of enrollment.
Platforms and versions
BoltAI is a native macOS app, supports Intel and Apple Silicon, requires macOS 13+, and needs no account. The official description also mentions that the same conversations, agents, and projects can be used on iPhone and iPad via cloud sync. The current materials mention the Build 92 update, including: chat tabs enabled by default (you can turn off "Enable native chat tabs" in Settings > Developer and restart to restore a single window with a single chat), custom project icons (emoji or over a thousand symbols, nine colors), custom and OpenAI-compatible providers support maximum reasoning, show the main window on startup faster, display a short name for long model names with full name on hover, tools in new chats follow the selected agent, fix issues such as agent selection and tab closing, and fix issues such as project prompt mode sync and backup import losing the default agent.
Limitations and unavailable information
The official materials do not provide specific price figures, details of cloud storage capacity for each tier, models beyond the complete list of supported providers, interface languages, system region restrictions, or other information. AI credits must be purchased by users themselves from providers; BoltAI does not provide credits. Cloud sync and mobile access are paused after the one-year update period ends. Specific configuration steps for some features mentioned in the materials (such as Codex CLI or Claude Code integration) are not currently provided.
