Chatbox

A desktop chat client for ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and local models on Windows, macOS and Linux, published as a community edition of a commercial app.

42.2k stars, 4.3k forks TypeScript On GitHub since March 2023

Visit website View on GitHub How to run it

What is Chatbox?

Chatbox is a desktop app where you add your API keys or a local model server and chat with several providers. This repository holds the Community Edition; the developers say they sync code regularly between it and their closed Pro version. Installers cover Windows 10 and later, macOS 11 and later on Intel and Apple silicon, and Linux, and there are mobile apps as well. It offers 13 interface languages.

Good fit if

  • You want a simple, cross-platform desktop chat client for your own keys.
  • You switch between hosted models and local ones through Ollama.

Look elsewhere if

  • You want every feature in the open code: the Pro version and Chatbox AI service are separate products. Jan is fully open.
  • You need a team server: LibreChat.

Before you adopt it

The Community Edition moved from MIT to GPL-3.0 in April 2024, so modified versions you distribute must also be GPL. The company sells its paid features through the separate, closed Pro product.

Drafted with AI from the project's README and repository data, then checked against that data on 30 October 2026. Report a correction

Chatbox health: is it still maintained?

79 of 100, actively developed

  • Activity
    563 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 29 October 2026.
    30 / 30
  • Contributors
    7 people wrote the latest 100 commits; the most active wrote 48% of them.
    12 / 20
  • Releases
    15 releases in the last 12 months; the latest, v1.23.5, on 24 September 2026.
    19 / 20
  • Replies to issues
    Maintainers answered 11% of recent issues, with a median first reply after 13 hours.
    13 / 20
  • Security practices
    No OpenSSF Scorecard for this repository yet, so this part gets a neutral score.
    5 / 10

Read from GitHub on 1 November 2026. How the score works

Chatbox license: is it open source?

Chatbox uses GPL-3.0, an open-source license approved by the OSI.

  1. March 2023First published on GitHub under MIT.
  2. 2 April 2024Changed to GPL-3.0. Commit: revert: Revert "tweak: Update LICENSE"
  3. TodayGPL-3.0.

How to run Chatbox yourself

Docker
Dockerfile or compose file in the repository
Compose file
None in the repository
Setup effort
Not rated: no compose file to judge from
Kubernetes
No Helm chart in the repository
Desktop and mobile
No app builds in GitHub releases
Interface languages
13 languages

Install instructions: chatboxai.app or the README on GitHub.

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Questions about Chatbox

Is Chatbox open source?

Yes. Chatbox is published under GPL-3.0, an OSI-approved open-source license.

Is Chatbox still maintained?

Its health score is 79 of 100 (actively developed). It had 563 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 29 October 2026, and its latest release came out on 24 September 2026.

Did Chatbox change its license?

Yes. It moved from MIT to GPL-3.0 on 2 April 2024.

How do I run Chatbox?

You can run it with Docker. The README on GitHub has the exact steps.

What are the alternatives to Chatbox?

Close alternatives in the AI chat & local LLMs category include LibreChat, LobeHub, Hermes Agent.