ChatGPT alternatives for Mac
ChatGPT — OpenAI's official ChatGPT desktop app — is installed 12,860 times a month through Homebrew. These are hand-picked alternatives that occupy the same slot, ordered by how comparable their user base is.
Run
brew install --cask chatgpt to install ChatGPT itself.- Claude19,855 installs/mo
- Diffusion Bee113.8× smaller user base
- MacWhisper15.7× smaller user base
- LM StudioApple silicon only · 2.2× smaller user base
- Draw Things10.7× smaller user base
- BoltAI 2329.7× smaller user base
- Jan35.6× smaller user base
- Cursor6,983 installs/mo
Full comparison
| ChatGPT | Claude | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | GUI app | GUI app |
| Category | AI & Machine Learning | AI & Machine Learning |
| Open source | Not declared | Not declared |
| Licence | Not declared | Not declared |
| Apple silicon | Universal | Universal |
| Latest version | 26.1021.31345 | 3.6556.2,20c019a1e61fa5b687616af57d31f97bb3181723 |
| Dependencies | 0 | 0 |
| Installs (30 days) | 12,860 | 19,855 |
| Install command | brew install --cask chatgpt | brew install --cask claude |
How we picked these
The list comes from a hand-maintained set of same-purpose apps, not from keyword matching. Alternatives are removed automatically when Homebrew no longer carries them. Ordering reflects 30-day install volume, not paid placement. Data updated 2026-10-26.