Yes. Jan's code is under the Apache 2.0 license, and has been since May 2025; before that it was AGPL. Grux OS is under the MIT license.

Can Grux OS use a model running in Jan?

Yes. Start Jan's local API server and point Grux's model address at it. Grux treats any server at a localhost address as a local model.

Is Grux OS a Jan alternative on Windows or Linux?

No. Grux OS is a native macOS app for Apple silicon. On Windows or Linux, Jan, Ollama and LM Studio all run.

Is there an alternative to Jan AI on a Mac?

Grux OS is one: like Jan it is open source and runs on a local model, but Grux is an agent that acts on your Mac, while Jan is a chat app for running models. Jan, from Menlo Research under the Apache 2.0 license, downloads and runs models from Hugging Face on Mac, Windows and Linux, connects to OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, Groq and others, offers custom assistants and MCP tools, and serves an OpenAI compatible API on your machine. Grux OS (MIT) is for macOS only. It runs on a local Ollama model or your own key, and from one Command Panel it acts on the mail, calendar, files and meetings already on your Mac, with a shell whose every command can be undone. They also work together: Grux treats a model server on your Mac, Jan's included, as a local model. Pick Jan to chat with open models offline on any desktop. Pick Grux for an agent that does the work on a Mac.

Grux OS 3.0.0 · last checked 2026-09-30 · generated from the shipping release

Side by side

	Grux OS	Jan
What it is	An agent that acts on your Mac	A chat app that downloads and runs models
Source	Open source, MIT	Open source, Apache 2.0, by Menlo Research
Platforms	macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon	macOS 13.6 or later, Windows and Linux
Models	Ollama by default, a local OpenAI compatible server, or your own key	Models from Hugging Face run in the app, or cloud models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, Groq and others
Serves an API to other apps	No; it has a command line and an MCP bridge	Yes, an OpenAI compatible server on your machine
Acts on your mail, calendar, files and shell	Yes, built in	Through MCP tools you add

Jan's details are from its README and license file, read on 3 October 2026.

Using them together

Start Jan's local API server, then point Grux's model address at it in Settings. Grux decides whether a model is local by its address, not by which app serves it, so any server at a localhost address counts as local: it gets the longer local timeout and costs nothing on Grux's meter. Or skip Jan and let Grux find Ollama by itself, which is the default.

Where Jan is the better choice

Windows or Linux, where Grux OS does not run.
Chatting with open models fully offline, picked and downloaded inside the app.
Serving one local model to several other apps through an OpenAI compatible API.

Where Grux OS fits better

You want the model to act: triage mail, read your calendar, and run shell commands you can undo.
You want a native macOS app with your Mac's own accounts, not a chat window.
You want to change the app by asking: Grux writes a work order for your own coding agent.

Where to check this

Claim	Source
Jan runs local models, connects to cloud providers, has MCP and a local API	Jan README, Features
Jan is licensed under Apache 2.0, copyright Menlo Research	Jan LICENSE
Grux counts any localhost or Bonjour .local server as a local model	ModelRates.swift
Grux runs on an Anthropic API key, or Ollama running locally	README, Requirements
Grux has no account and no server, and nothing is proxied	README, Privacy posture

Questions

Is Jan open source?: Yes. Jan's code is under the Apache 2.0 license, and has been since May 2025; before that it was AGPL. Grux OS is under the MIT license.
Can Grux OS use a model running in Jan?: Yes. Start Jan's local API server and point Grux's model address at it. Grux treats any server at a localhost address as a local model.
Is Grux OS a Jan alternative on Windows or Linux?: No. Grux OS is a native macOS app for Apple silicon. On Windows or Linux, Jan, Ollama and LM Studio all run.

Download Grux 3.0.0 Read the source

Free, MIT licensed. macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon. 23.7 MB, signed and notarized by Apple. No account, no server, no subscription.