Pyre

Free plan Open source AndroidLinuxSelf-hostedWebWindows

What Pyre is

Pyre is a free, open-source client for AI roleplay built around local storage and user-chosen providers. It supports characters, worlds, long-running stories, branching replies, group chats, Party Mode, persona parties, Checkpoints, Live Sheet, Script, and lorebooks. Its Creator is used to make characters, scenarios, personas, and lorebooks, with fields reviewed before saving. Pyre connects to OpenAI-compatible endpoints, Anthropic-native connections on native apps, and local or LAN model servers. Users can discover content through BotBooru and import or export Tavern-compatible character cards. Characters, chats, personas, presets, lorebooks, and settings stay in a local library, with backup and sync options for devices or hubs users control. Pyre says it has no hosted backend, account, cloud library, or telemetry. Native apps keep provider keys in operating system secure storage; browser and PWA clients store no keys and route chat through a paired hub. The app is free, though provider use is billed by the chosen provider or uses the user's own hardware. Packaged targets include Android, Windows, and Linux.

Who it suits

Pyre suits adults who want AI roleplay with locally stored characters and chats, and who can connect a provider or use local model hardware. It may also suit users who want to manage their own backup and sync through devices or hubs they control.

What it does well

Free and open source under AGPL-3.0
Supports branching replies and group chats
Connects to hosted, local, and LAN providers
Stores chats and library items locally
Native apps store keys in secure operating system storage

What to know first

No iOS build
macOS is not a supported public target
Browser and PWA clients require a paired hub
Does not import loose SillyTavern chat files or group-chat logs

Limits

Pyre is free, but usage through a chosen provider is billed by that provider; local models use the user’s own hardware. Web/PWA clients store no provider keys and send chat through a paired hub.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Pyre	Free app · provider usage is billed by your chosen provider, or uses your own hardware for local models	Free
Free app	Provider usage billed by your chosen provider or your own local hardware · no Pyre subscription	Free

As pyrechat.app lists them, read 9 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit https://pyrechat.app/ to access Pyre.
Choose a packaged Android, Windows, or Linux app, or use web/PWA access through a hub.
Connect an OpenAI-compatible endpoint, an Anthropic-native connection in a native app, or a local or LAN model server.
Create characters, scenarios, personas, or lorebooks in Creator, or import Tavern-compatible character cards.
Use Pyre for free; provider usage is billed by the provider you choose or uses your own hardware for local models.

Verdict

Pyre offers roleplay tools and provider choice while keeping its library local and avoiding a hosted backend. Its packaged targets and import limits are worth checking, and provider usage may carry separate costs or rely on the user's own hardware.

Questions

Is Pyre free?

Yes. The app is free, and it is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license. Provider usage is billed by the selected provider or uses the user’s own hardware for local models.

Which platforms are available?

Packaged targets are Android, Windows, and Linux. Web/PWA access uses a hub; there is no iOS build, and macOS is not a supported public target unless a release build is published.

Does Pyre include a hosted account or cloud library?

Pyre says it has no hosted backend, account, or cloud library. Its characters, chats, personas, presets, lorebooks, and settings are stored locally.

Which AI providers can it connect to?

Pyre supports OpenAI-compatible endpoints, Anthropic-native connections on native apps, and local or LAN model servers.

Can I import character cards?

Yes. Pyre supports importing and exporting Tavern-compatible character cards. It does not yet import loose single SillyTavern .jsonl chat files or SillyTavern group-chat logs.

Who makes Pyre?

Pyre is made by Ember Team, described as a small independent effort shaped by its community.

Facts from Pyre's own pages

Adults: Pyre is intended for adults because imported cards and selected providers may produce mature themes. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
AI Creator: The Creator builds or edits characters, scenarios, personas and lorebooks through a structured review-before-save workflow. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Android installation: Android is installed from an APK downloaded from the latest GitHub release. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Audience: The maker says Pyre is intended for adults because imported cards and chosen providers may produce mature themes. · pyrechat.app, 9 Oct 2026
Bring-your-own-model: Users connect OpenAI-compatible endpoints, Anthropic-native APIs, hosted aggregators, proxies or local servers. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Build requirements: Building from source requires Flutter and the target platform toolchain. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Card compatibility: Pyre imports and exports Tavern-compatible cards and supports SillyTavern presets, lorebooks, regex rules and backup archives. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Chat mechanics: Chat supports streaming replies, regeneration, continuation, editing, slash commands, variants and non-destructive branching. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Community content: Pyre integrates with BotBooru for in-app discovery and supports Tavern-compatible character card imports and exports. · pyrechat.app, 9 Oct 2026
Creator: The Creator is used to build characters, scenarios, personas, and lorebooks, with fields reviewed before saving. · pyrechat.app, 9 Oct 2026
Cross-device sync: A desktop or self-host hub can sync libraries, chats and settings between paired devices over the user’s network. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Data handling: Chats, cards, prompts and library data remain local unless the user sends them to a configured provider, paired device, hub or export destination. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Desktop installation: Windows uses a zipped executable and Linux uses a tarball; Windows includes WebView2-based Discover embedding. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Discover integration: Embedded Discover can browse BotBooru and import supported cards or lorebooks after confirmation. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Documentation: The documentation includes guides for chat, Creator, lorebooks, presets, regex, memory, providers, imports, sync, backup, desktop and troubleshooting. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Groups and parties: Group chats, Party Mode and persona parties allow multiple characters or user personas in one scene. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Import limits: Pyre does not yet import loose single SillyTavern .jsonl chat files or SillyTavern group-chat logs. · pyrechat.app, 9 Oct 2026
Key security: Native apps store provider keys in operating system secure storage, while browser/PWA clients store no keys and send chat through a paired hub. · pyrechat.app, 9 Oct 2026
Key storage: Native apps store provider keys in Android Keystore, Windows Credential Manager or Linux Secret Service; browsers store none. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
Licence: Pyre is open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence. · pyrechat.app, 21 Oct 2026
License: Pyre is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license. · pyrechat.app, 9 Oct 2026
Limit: checkpoint growth: A Reddit user said checkpoint memories became increasingly token-heavy in a long chat and required frequent summarization. · reddit.com, 21 Oct 2026
Limit: Creator lorebook editing: A Reddit user reported that the Creator could not edit lorebooks embedded in character cards and sometimes duplicated card and lorebook content. · reddit.com, 21 Oct 2026
Limit: interface polish: The developer acknowledged that the user interface still needed work in the 1.2 discussion. · reddit.com, 21 Oct 2026

Where Pyre stands on Freedom251

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