Chatbox
Powerful AI Client
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What is Chatbox?
Chatbox AI is a cross-platform AI client application and smart assistant that serves as a universal remote control for connecting to hundreds of cutting-edge AI models and APIs. It is available on Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Web, and Linux, providing a unified interface for interacting with AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, DeepSeek, Gemini, and Ollama without needing to manage multiple accounts separately.
Key features include chat with documents and images (supporting PDF, DOC, PPT, XLS, code files, and even scanned/handwritten PDFs), code magic with generation and artifact preview, real-time web search and browsing, AI-generated charts for visualized insights, text-to-image creation, and built-in LaTeX and Markdown rendering. The app stores all data locally for privacy and security, offers message history search, and includes built-in backup and export features.
Chatbox is ideal for developers, students, professionals, and anyone who wants a single interface to access multiple AI models. It caters to light users needing everyday assistance, medium-to-high users requiring professional capabilities, and intensive professionals working on complex scenarios. Users can either use the official Chatbox AI Service or bring their own API keys from providers like OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini.
Chatbox pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
Chatbox Applications (the client itself) is free and open source for all platforms, allowing users to use their own API KEY to access various AI model services. Chatbox AI Service offers three paid tiers: Lite at $3.5/month (17% off from $3.99) with 2,000,000 compute points monthly, 25 AI drawings, standard and advanced models, web search, and image chat; Pro at $16.7/month (from $19.99) with 12,000,000 compute points (6x base), 100 AI drawings, document chat, MCP service, knowledge base, and document preprocessing; Pro+ at $33.33/month (from $39.99) with 30,000,000 compute points (15x base), 200 AI drawings, and all Pro features. New users can try Chatbox AI Service free with daily quota refreshed every day.
Chatbox pros
- Cross-platform availability on Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and Web
- Connects to hundreds of AI models including ChatGPT, Claude, DeepSeek, Gemini, and Ollama
- Chat with documents supporting PDF, DOC, PPT, XLS, and code files
- Works with scanned and handwritten PDFs for document chat
- Image chat capability to extract content and recognize elements
- Code generation with artifact preview and syntax highlighting
- Real-time web search for latest facts, news, and data
- AI-generated charts for visualized insights in conversations
- Text-to-image generation for creating custom visuals
- Built-in LaTeX and Markdown rendering for academic writing
- All data stored locally for privacy and security
- Message history search to quickly retrieve past conversations
- Built-in data backup and export features
- Free and open source client application
- Supports up to 5 devices in use simultaneously on paid plans
- Integrated MCP service with one-click connectivity to major MCP servers
- Configuration-free knowledge base service pipeline on desktop
- Industry-leading PDF and file recognition for document preprocessing
- Token-based billing consistent with underlying model pricing
- No permanent data storage by Chatbox AI Service
Chatbox cons
- No auto spelling check and correction when inputting text
- Cannot guarantee reliability when using your own API key
- Requires managing network connectivity with personal API keys
- Knowledge Base feature only available on desktop app
- Privacy security not guaranteed with third-party API services
- Free tier has daily quota limits that refresh daily
- Web search feature only available on paid plans
- Image generation limited to specific quotas per plan
- Token billing can be complex to estimate usage
- Desktop download required for full feature access
Frequently asked questions about Chatbox
Can I use Chatbox for free?
Yes, the Chatbox client application itself is free and open source for all platforms. You can use your own API KEY to access various AI model services. Additionally, new users who have not purchased any plan can try the Chatbox AI Service for free with a daily quota that refreshes every day. To claim the free trial, visit the Chatbox website, log in to your account, and you will see the free plan entry.
What is the difference between using Chatbox AI and my own API key?
Chatbox AI Service offers a more convenient, stable, high-speed, and user-friendly experience compared to using your own API key. With your own API key, you must manage network connectivity, maintain your account, and tackle various technical challenges. Chatbox software cannot guarantee reliability or quality when using personal API keys. Chatbox AI Service has official permission to employ these models, providing plug-and-play access where you only pay for actual backend costs while benefiting from productivity improvements.
What is the AI Drawing feature?
The AI Drawing feature allows you to create unique and original images by simply typing a description of your desired picture, such as 'a cartoon cat drinking coffee'. Chatbox AI transforms your words into stunning visuals. As the creator of the image, you theoretically have the right to assert copyright and determine how the image is utilized, but must ensure it is not deployed in any manner that violates local laws or offends public decency.
What is the relationship between Chatbox and other AI model providers?
Chatbox is an AI chat client that does not provide AI models itself but helps you connect to and use various AI model services. Think of Chatbox as a 'universal remote control' that can connect to hundreds of mainstream AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, DeepSeek, Gemini, and more using your own API Keys. The Chatbox AI Service is their official hosted service that integrates multiple mainstream models, so you don't need to register and manage accounts with each provider separately—it's ready to use, fast, and stable.
Where is the Knowledge Base feature?
Knowledge Base is a feature exclusive to the desktop app (available for Windows, macOS, and Linux) that allows AI to understand and search your private documents. To use this feature, visit the Chatbox website to download the desktop app. This feature is included in the Pro and Pro+ plans of Chatbox AI Service.
How does data privacy and security work in Chatbox?
Chatbox stores all chat messages and settings data locally on your device without uploading to their servers without permission. When using the Chatbox AI Service, messages, context, images, and files are transmitted to generate AI responses and may be temporarily stored to expedite subsequent responses, but Chatbox AI does not permanently store your data and will not use it for advertising, model training, or commercial use. For third-party API services, privacy security cannot be guaranteed and you must review those providers' privacy policies.
Where is my data stored?
Your chat history is stored locally on your device. Order information is securely stored on Stripe and the Chatbox backend database. Chatbox takes data and privacy security very seriously, and details can be found in their privacy policy on the website.
How are tokens billed and used?
Chatbox uses a token-based billing algorithm consistent with the underlying model. Each generation session is billed based on the total number of tokens in historical messages plus newly generated responses. On average, one English word is approximately equivalent to 1.4 tokens, and a single Chinese character is about 3.5 tokens. Computing points are consumed at different rates per model, and estimated tokens are calculated based on the official provider's input token pricing.
How do I upgrade or cancel my License package?
You can view past orders, subscriptions, and License information, and find options to manage subscriptions through the subscription management page on the Chatbox website. This includes options to upgrade, cancel, renew, or buy Expansion Packs and more.
What devices can I use Chatbox on simultaneously?
All paid plans (Lite, Pro, and Pro+) support up to 5 devices in use simultaneously. Chatbox is available on Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Web, and Linux, allowing you to continue working across mobile and desktop with synced chats and files.