The Claude Desktop alternative for Mac
Love Claude but tired of usage limits and one-provider lock-in? Elvean gives you Claude plus ChatGPT, Gemini, and 300+ models in one native Mac app. Your API key, your rules.
Rich Content
Itineraries with inline photos and formatted details
Sortable Tables
Structured data you can sort and explore inline
Built-in Tools
Web search, image search, MCP servers, and charts
Interactive Charts
Chart.js and TradingView charts rendered in conversations
Threaded Conversations
Branch into side threads without losing context
Agentic Research
Multi-step tool calling that fetches and presents findings
Photo Galleries
Image grids fetched and arranged automatically
Apple Maps
Interactive maps embedded in conversations with pinned locations
Works with the models you already use
Ollama 
Claude 
OpenAI 
Gemini 
Grok 
DeepSeek 
Qwen 
Cerebras 
OpenRouter + Groq, LM Studio, MLX, and any OpenAI-compatible API
Features
Claude and beyond
Elvean isn't just a Claude Desktop alternative — it's a complete AI workspace for Mac. Keep using Claude, but unlock every other model too.
Claude plus every other model
Claude Desktop only gives you Claude. Elvean connects to Anthropic's API and every other major provider in one native interface. Switch between Claude, GPT-4o, and Gemini mid-conversation with @mentions. Bring your own API keys, no usage caps.
- Ollama, LM Studio, MLX, Claude, OpenAI, Gemini, Grok, Cerebras, DeepSeek
- 300+ models via OpenRouter — including any OpenAI-compatible API
- Switch models mid-conversation with @mentions
- API keys stored in macOS Keychain, never on our servers
Responses that come alive
Claude Desktop gives you text. Elvean renders charts you can interact with, tables you can sort, maps you can explore, and image galleries you can browse — all inline, right in the conversation.
- Interactive Chart.js charts and Mermaid diagrams
- Sortable, filterable tables with structured data
- Embedded Apple Maps with pinned locations
- Photo galleries fetched and arranged automatically
- Real-time weather forecasts via Apple WeatherKit
AI that takes action
Go beyond question and answer. Elvean's agentic tools let models search the web, chain multiple steps together, and connect to external services through MCP. Ask a question, and watch it research, analyze, and present findings.
- Multi-step agentic tool calling with live progress
- Web search with inline citations and source links
- MCP server connections for files, databases, and APIs
- Image and video search built in
Conversations that stay organized
Long conversations get messy. Elvean brings Slack-style threads to AI — branch off into a side discussion without losing your main context. Fork any message to explore a different direction. Your thinking stays structured.
- Threaded conversations — branch without losing context
- Fork any message to explore alternate directions
- Folders, favorites, and full-text search across all chats
- Cmd+F find within any conversation
Native Mac app, like Claude Desktop — but better
Elvean is a native SwiftUI app, just like Claude Desktop is native. But Elvean goes further — system-wide prompt panel, prompt library, per-conversation settings, and support for every model, not just one provider.
- Native SwiftUI — optimized for Apple Silicon and Intel
- System-wide prompt panel: select text anywhere, hit a hotkey, get AI
- Prompt library with variable placeholders and Cmd+/ access
- Per-conversation settings: temperature, tokens, system prompts
Private by default. Not by afterthought.
Your conversations never touch our servers. Local models through Ollama, LM Studio, or MLX run fully offline — no internet, no data leaves your machine. When you use cloud providers, data goes directly to them. API keys live in your macOS Keychain. No telemetry. No tracking. No account required.
And there's more
Pricing
Free to start, Pro when you're ready
No account required. Download and start chatting immediately.
Free
forever
- ✓ 300+ cloud models (BYOK)
- ✓ Ollama, LM Studio & MLX local models
- ✓ Unlimited conversations
- ✓ Folders & organization
- ✓ System-wide prompt panel
- ✓ Fork any message
- ✓ Prompt library
Pro
or $49.99/year (save 40%) · 7-day free trial on all plans
- ✓ Everything in Free, plus:
- ✓ Web, image & video search
- ✓ Interactive charts & diagrams
- ✓ Threads & @mention model switching
- ✓ Markdown editing of responses
- ✓ Unlimited MCP servers
- ✓ Export (Markdown, HTML, PDF)
- ✓ Priority support
What's New
Latest updates
Version 1.2.11
WeatherKit integration, CSV export, expandable charts and maps, and performance improvements.
Version 1.2.5
Improved onboarding flow and UI layout fixes.
Version 1.2.3 (Public Beta)
Native maps integration, videos and photos web search, interactive charts and tables.
FAQ
Common questions
What is the best Claude Desktop alternative?
Elvean is a native Mac app that gives you Claude via your own API key — plus every other major model. No usage caps, no single-provider lock-in. It's free to start with Pro at $6.99/mo.
Can I still use Claude Opus and Sonnet?
Yes. Elvean connects directly to Anthropic's API. You get full access to Claude Opus, Sonnet, and Haiku. Use your own API key and pay Anthropic directly with no limits beyond your API quota.
Does Elvean support MCP like Claude Desktop?
Yes. Elvean has full MCP server support. Connect to files, databases, APIs, and custom tools through the Model Context Protocol — the same as Claude Desktop, but with every model.
Is my data private?
We don't collect anything. No telemetry, no analytics, no conversation history on our servers. Local models are fully offline. API keys live in your Keychain. Your conversations stay on your Mac.
Does it work on Intel Macs?
Yes. Elvean runs on any Mac with macOS 13 or later — Intel or Apple Silicon. Local inference is faster on M-series chips, but the app works great on both.
Get Started
Ready to go beyond Claude Desktop?
Download, open, chat. No account required.