Alter works out-of-the box and has better support for files and folder.

How does Alter compare with BoltAI?

TLDR: Alter offers a comprehensive free plan with access to advanced models and features, while BoltAI requires users to provide their own API keys and has limited free functionality. Alter supports a wider range of ready-to-use AI models from multiple providers, allows direct interaction with files/folders, enables reusing AI outputs with other actions, and provides automatic keyboard shortcuts.

Alter offers unique features like acting on apps and screenshot captures, creating presentations and diagrams, and generating images. While both platforms support local models and extensibility, Alter provides more out-of-the-box functionality and flexibility in its free and paid plans.

Alter BoltAI
Free plan
  • about 100 messages* with GPT-4o
  • unlimited with local models or an OpenAI compatible endpoint
  • all features
  • Requires your own API keys to work
  • Limited features: AI Command, AI Inline, web browsing and web search are disabled
Most popular
pricing plan
$240/year $57/year, perpetual license, AI consumption is excluded from the price
Max consumption
per month with
a paid plan
  • about 875 messages with GPT-4o
  • unlimited with smaller or local models
  • no limits per hour
  • can purchase one-time credits for heavy use
  • pay about $20 for 875 messages with GPT-4o
  • no limits on message
  • all features available except "Unlimited Plugins"
Support for local models (Ollama, LM Studio)
✅
✅
Keyboard shortcuts
✅
Automatic, Mnemonic
🚧
Setup manually
Ready-to-use AI models
✅
Multi-providers: OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Groq, Together
❌
Bring your own API keys
Support for OpenAI compatible endpoints
✅
✅
Chat + history
✅
✅
Act on apps
✅
❌
Act on screenshot capture
✅
❌
Act on text-selections
✅
✅
Act on files and folders
✅
From Finder selections
🚧
Picker, files only
Create presentations, diagrams, charts and export in HTML or PDF
✅
Artifacts to create all kinds of HTML mini apps
❌
Generate images
✅
Flux models
❌
Ready-to-use AI actions
✅
✅
Reuse AI output with other actions
✅
❌
Voice mode
✅
Dictation, Speak-to-command
✅
Extensibility
✅
✅
Web search, Perplexity like
✅
✅
Requires Perplexity API key
Native app
✅
macOS 14+, 45MB
✅
MacOS 12+, 49MB
*A message has 4296 tokens, which is roughly 3 200 words.

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Interested in detailed comparisons between macOS AI native apps?
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