SillyTavern18+ review · checked
SillyTavern review: a free chat front end you run yourself
SillyTavern is free, open-source software you install on your own computer and connect to an AI model of your choice.
The short version
Checked October 24, 2026. Software is free; model costs are set by the provider you connect.
SillyTavern is free, open-source software you install on your own computer and connect to an AI model of your choice. It gives you more control over prompts, character cards and lorebooks than any hosted chat site, and with a local model your chats never leave your machine. It has no age gate, content policy or moderation of its own, and setup takes real effort, so we list it as a reference rather than a pick.
Quick facts
- Price & billing
- $0; open source↗
- Free access
- The whole app is free and open source; cloud models bill you separately↗
- Adult content
- No policy of its own; depends on the model provider and local law↗
- Media
- Image generation and text-to-speech through backends you configure↗
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker, Android via Termux; iPhone only through a browser↗
- Payment
- None to SillyTavern; you pay any API provider directly↗
- Latest release
- 1.19.0, September 14, 2026↗
HOW WE CHECKED Checked on 24 October 2026 through a US connection: sillytavern.app, the GitHub repository and readme, and the official documentation (FAQ, installation and remote connections). We did not install it or connect a model, so speed, memory and reply quality are not measured here; they depend on the model you plug in.
Inside SillyTavern
Actual screens. Tap to inspect.
Plans, tokens & the actual bill
USD · checked 2026-10-24 · Pricing source ↗
| Plan | Price & billing | Included | Tokens |
|---|---|---|---|
| SillyTavern software | $0None | Full app: chat, character cards, lorebooks, extensions | Not published |
| Cloud model access | Set by the providerBilled by that provider | Whatever model you connect by API key | Not published |
| Local model | $0 in feesNone | Runs on your own hardware; needs a GPU | Not published |
SillyTavern has no plans, tokens or subscriptions. The readme says it "will always be free and open sourced". What you spend depends on the model: cloud APIs charge under their own price lists, and local models cost nothing in fees but need a capable GPU (the FAQ names at least 6GB of VRAM).
What’s included?
Lorebooks (World Info)
✓ AvailableBackground entries added to the prompt when keywords appear. Source ↗
Image generation
✓ AvailableThrough a backend you set up, such as a local Stable Diffusion install. Source ↗
Hosted service or account
− Not availableThe readme says it provides no online or hosted services. Source ↗
Phone app
− Not availableAndroid via Termux; iPhone and iPad only by opening a copy running on another computer. Source ↗
Age gate or content policy
− Not availableNone of its own; the model provider's rules apply. Source ↗
Reasons to consider it
- Free and open source, with a release as recent as September 2026
- Works with cloud APIs or fully local models; local chats stay on your PC
- Deep control over prompts, character cards and lorebooks
- No subscription, tokens or renewals
Reasons to pause
- You install and maintain it yourself; no iPhone app
- No age gate, content policy or moderation of its own
- Imported character cards are not reviewed by anyone
- Real costs and logging depend on the model provider you pick
What SillyTavern is
SillyTavern is a chat interface, not a chat service. You install it on your computer, add an API key for a model (or point it at one running locally), then load a character card and talk. It started in February 2023 as a fork of TavernAI and now lists over 300 contributors.
The official site is a link page to the docs, GitHub, Discord and Reddit. There is nothing to sign up for.
What it costs
The software is free under the AGPL-3.0 licence, and the readme promises it will stay that way. Your bill comes from the model. A cloud API charges per use under its own price list; a local model has no fees but needs a graphics card with at least 6GB of VRAM, by the FAQ's count.
There are no plans, tokens or renewals to watch for on SillyTavern's side.
Setup and devices
You need Node.js 20 or newer. Guides cover Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker and Android through Termux. iPhones and iPads cannot run it; you open a copy running on another computer from the phone's browser. The readme calls the steep learning curve "part of the fun", and it is not exaggerating.
What you get once it runs
Control is the point. You can edit every part of the prompt, swap models mid-chat, keep lorebooks that fill in background only when a keyword comes up, and add image generation or voice through extensions. Character cards from other people import as PNG files.
Nobody checks those cards. What a card contains, and what the model will write, depends on the card's author and on your model provider's rules.
Privacy and safety
Chats, characters and your API keys sit in the data folder on your machine. With a local model, the FAQ puts it plainly: "Everything you write stays on your own PC." With a cloud model, your messages go to that provider and fall under its privacy policy.
If you open SillyTavern to other devices, read the remote connections guide first. It warns, in capitals, never to host an instance on the open internet without security in place. To delete your data, delete the data folder, then use your API provider's own deletion process.
Who should use it, and who should skip it
Pick SillyTavern if you are comfortable installing software, want full control over prompts and models, or want chats that stay on your own computer.
Skip it if you want to open a website and start chatting, want media included in one price, or want a service with its own 18+ rules and moderation. The hosted options below cover that.
Rules & privacy, in plain English
We do not provide any online or hosted services, nor programmatically track any user data.
SillyTavern is a passion project brought to you by a dedicated community of LLM enthusiasts, and will always be free and open sourced.
You can tell the AI to pretend it's Wonder Woman.
If SillyTavern isn’t your fit
Janitor AI
Hosted community character chat with an 18+ rule, no install needed.
GirlfriendGPT
Companion chat with images in the browser and published plans.
Candy AI
AI girlfriend chat with photos and voice from a named operator.
Your questions, answered
Is SillyTavern free?
$0; open source. Free access: The whole app is free and open source; cloud models bill you separately. Checked 2026-10-24; source: https://github.com/SillyTavern/SillyTavern
What are SillyTavern character cards?
Saved character prompts, usually shared as PNG files with the definition embedded. SillyTavern sends the card's description and first message to the model so it can play the character.
What is a SillyTavern lorebook?
A lorebook, or World Info, is a set of background entries that SillyTavern adds to the prompt only when matching keywords appear in the chat.