What it is
Cherry Studio is a desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux that puts OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini and other providers, plus local servers such as Ollama and LM Studio, behind one chat window. It adds knowledge-base search, MCP tools, hundreds of preset assistants and, since version 2.0 in August 2026, an agent that calls these tools itself. Mobile apps for iOS and Android are separate.
It does not run language models itself; local chat means pointing it at a model server. Version 2.1.7 on 19 October 2026 added local text-to-speech and transcription, and quota tracking for Cherry Cloud's managed models.
The Community Edition is AGPL-3.0, with a commercial licence and an Enterprise edition available from Cherry's business team.
Our review
Cherry Studio works best as one person's workstation, and its security record is the first thing to weigh. GitHub lists four critical advisories from August and October 2025: one-click remote code execution through custom URL handling, OS command injection when connecting to a malicious MCP server, a general RCE disclosure, and a link that executes a command when clicked. None has been published in 2026, but an app that launches MCP servers and handles custom URLs has a wide attack surface by design.
What it offers in return is breadth. The 2.0 release turned knowledge-base search, OCR, image generation and notes into tools the agent calls automatically, and 2.1.7 added browser and computer-use automation, Kokoro and Qwen3 speech and local FunASR transcription. Five releases, 2.1.3 to 2.1.7, shipped between 24 September and 19 October 2026, with builds for x64 and arm64 on every desktop platform.
Its privacy story is better than most, with one caveat. API keys, chats and preferences are stored on the device and connect directly to your own providers. The privacy policy says anonymous usage statistics and crash logs are collected by default, excluding chat content and keys, and can be switched off under Settings, Data Settings, Privacy Settings. Prompts sent through Cherry's built-in model services pass through its relay, which the policy says does not log them.
Next to Open WebUI the difference is architectural. Cherry Studio keeps every key and conversation on one laptop, which is its privacy advantage and also why it cannot become a shared, centrally administered tool without the Enterprise edition, whose shared knowledge bases and access controls are priced only on request.
Where it earns its place
A freelance developer holding API keys for OpenAI, Anthropic and Gemini
Compare answers from several models without juggling browser tabs
Add each key once and switch or compare models in one chat; keys and history stay on the laptop. The app is free, so spend is whatever each provider bills.
An analyst at a law firm who may only use local models
Ask questions of client documents without sending them to a cloud provider
Run Ollama or LM Studio, point Cherry Studio at it, build a local knowledge base, and switch off the usage and crash reporting toggles in Privacy Settings, which are on by default.
An IT manager at a 50-person firm considering a standard AI client
Roll out one desktop app with shared knowledge and access control
The free edition is single-user; centralised model management, shared knowledge bases and employee access controls are Enterprise features priced on request. Enforce updates, because past advisories allowed one-click remote code execution.
Before you commit
- Setup
- Download an installer, portable build, DMG, AppImage, DEB or RPM from GitHub Releases or cherryai.com. A first chat needs only a provider key or a local server URL; local speech models are downloaded separately from Settings.
- Integrations
- OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini and other cloud providers, custom compatible endpoints, Ollama and LM Studio, MCP servers, Notion and WebDAV, and DuckDuckGo web search with no key since 2.1.7.
- Data and privacy
- Keys, chats and knowledge bases are stored locally. Anonymous usage statistics and crash logs are on by default and can be turned off; built-in model services route prompts through Cherry's relay. Four critical GitHub advisories were published in 2025.
- Cost at scale
- Free for individuals; the real cost is provider API bills. Cherry Cloud subscriptions and Enterprise licences are not publicly priced, so a team rollout means a sales conversation.
- Limits
- 2,106 open issues and pull requests. Single-user Electron app; local LLMs need a separate server; some menus and docs are written for Chinese-speaking users first.
What's good
- One window for many cloud providers plus Ollama and LM Studio
- Agent, MCP, knowledge base and local speech in one app
- Keys and chats stored locally, with WebDAV backup
- Builds for Windows, macOS and Linux on x64 and arm64
What's not
- Four critical code-execution advisories in 2025
- Anonymous usage and crash telemetry on by default
- AGPL complicates commercial embedding
- Team features need the unpriced Enterprise edition
Best for
Power users who work across many AI providers from one desktop app.
Alternatives
Cherry Studio: common questions
- Is Cherry Studio worth it?
- A capable personal AI workstation for people with many API keys, whose security history makes prompt updating non-negotiable. We rate it 4.1 out of 5.
- How much does Cherry Studio cost?
- Community Edition free under AGPL-3.0. Cherry Cloud managed models and the Enterprise edition are not publicly priced.
- What are the downsides of Cherry Studio?
- Four critical code-execution advisories in 2025; anonymous usage and crash telemetry on by default; aGPL complicates commercial embedding; team features need the unpriced Enterprise edition.
- Who is Cherry Studio best for?
- Power users who work across many AI providers from one desktop app.
- How much does Cherry Studio cost for a team or in production?
- Free for individuals; the real cost is provider API bills. Cherry Cloud subscriptions and Enterprise licences are not publicly priced, so a team rollout means a sales conversation.
- Is Cherry Studio safe for company data?
- Keys, chats and knowledge bases are stored locally. Anonymous usage statistics and crash logs are on by default and can be turned off; built-in model services route prompts through Cherry's relay. Four critical GitHub advisories were published in 2025.
- What are the best Cherry Studio alternatives?
- The closest alternatives we have reviewed are Jan, LobeHub (formerly LobeChat) and Open WebUI.
Answers checked Oct 23, 2026.
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