Basalt
Cascadia Code LLC · Coding · Productivity
Basalt is a free desktop AI chat client from Cascadia Code LLC. You plug in your own API key, chat with models from multiple providers, and keep every message on your own machine.
About Basalt
What Is Basalt
Basalt is a desktop chat app that puts one interface in front of many AI models. Instead of juggling a dozen browser tabs, you add your own API credentials once and switch between providers inside a single window. It runs on Windows today, and a macOS build is listed as coming soon.
The app doesn't sell AI access. It has no subscription for the models themselves and doesn't offer any AI service of its own. You pay the provider you choose, such as OpenAI, and Basalt just gives you a cleaner way to talk to it. That's the whole point: your key, your bill, your data.
Privacy is the headline. Basalt says it doesn't collect or store your user, credential, or chat data anywhere but your machine. API keys and conversation history stay local, and sensitive values get encrypted before they hit disk. Nothing gets pushed to a cloud account you didn't ask for.
The main limitation is that Basalt gives you nothing to chat with out of the box. Without a third-party API key, there's no model, no reply, no demo mode. If you want a guided onboarding or bundled credits, this isn't that kind of app. It's a power tool for people who already know which model they want.
Getting Started
- Download the Basalt installer for Windows from the official site and run it.
- Open the app and add an API key from a provider you already have an account with, such as OpenAI.
- Pick a model from the provider list and adjust settings like temperature if you want to shape the replies.
- Start typing in the chat window, then use search and hotkeys to move through your history.
Product Information
A quick look at Basalt's pricing, supported platforms, and performance.
Best for
The users, tasks, and scenarios where this tool fits best.
Users
- Developers who already pay for model access
- Privacy-focused users
- Multi-provider tinkerers
Tasks
- Comparing answers across models
- Tweaking generation settings
- Searching old conversations
Scenarios
- Daily coding questions
- Sensitive work drafts
- Offline-ish workflows
Key features
Model Tuning in the Interface
Basalt exposes settings like temperature that are usually only reachable through the API. You can shape how creative or predictable a model gets without writing a single line of code. For anyone who's tired of guessing at parameters in a terminal, this puts the knobs right in front of you.
Local Storage and Encryption
API keys and chat logs are stored on your device, not in a Basalt cloud account, and sensitive values are encrypted before they're written to disk. The company states it doesn't collect or transmit your user, credential, or chat data. That matters if losing control of your prompts is a dealbreaker, and it's why people looking for a private AI chat client keep an eye on tools like this.
Provider-Agnostic Model Switching
Basalt isn't tied to one company. It lists models generated from more than one provider, so you can keep your options open and route different tasks to different models. A model agnostic chat client like this means you're not locked into a single vendor's line of models just because of the software you chose.
Chat History Search
A built-in search lets you dig through past conversations instead of scrolling. When you've asked hundreds of questions, finding the one useful answer again becomes the hard part, and search solves it. It's a small feature that quietly saves time every week.
Hotkeys and Dark Mode
Hotkeys let you jump around the app without reaching for the mouse, and a dark mode keeps long sessions easier on the eyes. Neither is flashy, but both show the app was built for people who live in it. Quick navigation matters once your history grows.
Syntax Highlighting Themes
You can pick your own syntax highlighting themes for light and dark mode. Code blocks in AI replies stay readable, which is a real win if you spend the day copying snippets out of chat. Choosing the theme yourself means it matches the rest of your setup.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free to download and use, with no Basalt subscription for the client itself.
- Chats and API keys stay local and are encrypted, which suits privacy-minded users.
- Works across models from more than one provider instead of locking you to a single company.
- Exposes tuning settings like temperature without any coding.
- Built-in history search and hotkeys speed up everyday use.
Cons
- You must supply your own API key, so there's nothing to try until you have one.
- The macOS version is still listed as coming soon, leaving Mac users waiting.
- No bundled support service, so help comes from docs and the community rather than a desk.
Frequently asked questions
Basalt is a desktop chat client for talking to AI models in one place. You add your own API credentials and chat with providers like OpenAI inside a single Windows app, with your history stored locally.
Related content
Explore related tools, skills, and articles for Basalt.
Basalt Alternatives
Udon
Udon · Coding · ProductivityUdon turns an Apple Silicon Mac into a home server you run from a browser, with container controls, file shares, and an optional AI sysadmin.
offstage
offstage cloud · Coding · Productivityoffstage gives AI coding agents and CI jobs a real Mac: a fresh macOS account on Apple silicon, driven over an API and billed by the second.
BotBus
Chengdu Tuyang Tusen Technology Co., Ltd. · Coding · ProductivityBotBus lets you control AI coding agents from your phone and watch: approve commands, start tasks and read results while the code stays on your desktop.