Elephas
Elephas is a personal AI writing assistant designed for Mac devices. The tool is powered by GPT-3 technology, allowing users to engage in seamless interaction w...
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What is Elephas?
Elephas is a Mac-first AI knowledge assistant and writing tool designed to help you work with your own files, notes, web pages, meetings, and documents in a private, structured way. It centers on the idea of a “Super Brain,” where you can create focused workspaces from documents and then chat with that content, search it, summarize it, and generate grounded answers from it.
A major part of the product is sensitive-data handling. Elephas keeps as much processing local as possible, redacts personal information before cloud requests, and supports offline or redacted cloud workflows depending on the task. That makes it especially relevant for legal, research, client, internal company, and other confidential work.
It also acts as an AI writing assistant across the Mac. With a keyboard shortcut, you can rewrite, summarize, translate, fix grammar, draft replies, and use custom commands in apps like Mail, Safari, Slack, Notes, and others. The website positions it as a way to write using your own knowledge rather than generic AI output.
Elephas is aimed at knowledge workers, professionals, researchers, founders, consultants, and teams who need AI assistance without giving up control over data. It also supports iPhone and iPad through a related app and knowledge-base syncing across Apple devices.
Elephas pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
Elephas offers a free download and a free trial for all features, with no credit card required. The website says you can upgrade to a paid plan when ready, and the help center references plan upgrades to Pro and Pro Plus, plus buying credits. It also says Elephas offers a standard plan on Setapp. The site does not present a fully detailed public price card in the accessible pages, but it clearly supports a free start, then paid upgrades for more features and credits.
Elephas pros
- Works with sensitive documents
- Local-first indexing on Mac
- Automatic PII redaction
- Can use offline AI models
- Supports cloud AI when needed
- Uses your own API key
- Grounded answers from your files
- Persistent Super Brain workspace
- Chats with PDFs and notes
- Imports Notion content
- Supports Obsidian integration
- Supports Apple Notes integration
- Supports Zoom transcripts
- Works across Mac apps
- Custom rewrite and writing modes
- Smart reply for email workflows
- Snippets for reusable commands
- Can read URLs directly
- Exports chats to PDF and Markdown
- Cross-device sync on Apple devices
Elephas cons
- Mac-first, not universal
- App Store version is limited
- Super Command unavailable in App Store build
- Text insertion into apps blocked in App Store build
- Best experience requires direct download
- Feature-rich setup can feel complex
- Offline/local workflows may need configuration
- Many integrations depend on external services
- Some advanced features need paid plans
- Sensitive workflows may require careful redaction settings
Frequently asked questions about Elephas
What is Elephas used for?
Elephas is used for private AI-assisted writing and knowledge work on Mac. You can turn documents, PDFs, notes, web pages, and meeting transcripts into a searchable Super Brain, then chat with that content, summarize it, and use it as context for writing and analysis.
How does Elephas handle sensitive data?
Elephas is built around local-first indexing and redaction. It detects and redacts common personal information before content reaches a cloud model, and it also supports offline or local-model workflows for users who want to keep processing fully on device.
Does Elephas work without an internet connection?
Yes, Elephas supports offline use through inbuilt offline models and local workflows. The website also says you can choose cloud AI or your own API key when you want more capability, but offline operation is available for users who want fully local processing.
Can Elephas work with my own AI provider?
Yes. Elephas supports its own built-in AI and also lets you bring your own API key. The help center says it works with a wide range of providers, including OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Groq, DeepSeek, and others.
What is Super Brain?
Super Brain is Elephas’s knowledge-base system for your own data. You can add files, folders, notes, web pages, and other sources, then search them, chat with them, and use them as grounded context for writing and decision-making.
What is Super Command?
Super Command is the feature that brings Elephas into any app on your Mac through a keyboard shortcut. It lets you select text and then summarize, rewrite, translate, fix grammar, draft from your knowledge base, or run custom commands called Snippets.
Which apps and file types does Elephas support?
The website says Elephas works with PDFs, Word, Excel, Apple Notes, Notion, Obsidian, Zoom transcripts, Markdown, and more. It also works across Mac apps such as Mail, Safari, Slack, Notes, and other apps where you write or edit text.
Can I use Elephas on iPhone or iPad?
Yes. Elephas has an iPhone and iPad app focused on the smart AI keyboard and Super Brain features. The website also says you can sync your Brains, settings, and preferences across Apple devices when you use the same Apple account.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. The website says you can download Elephas for free and try all features without a credit card. After the trial or free start, you can upgrade to a paid plan if you need more features or credits.
What is the App Store version missing?
According to the website, the App Store version is limited by Mac App Store sandbox restrictions. It does not include Super Command or the full text-writing features that let Elephas write into other apps, so the direct download is the full version.