Hob: a free desktop app that runs AI on your own computer, even offline
Hob is a free, open-source desktop assistant made by Frigade. According to its maker, it picks an open-weight AI model (one whose files are publicly released so anyone can run it) that fits your computer, sets it up for you, and lets you fill out PDFs and work through documents without an internet connection. Because the model runs on your machine, your files are not sent to a cloud service like ChatGPT or Claude. That matters if you handle client contracts or intake forms, and it is an easy first look at running AI locally if you're getting into tech.
- For
- Business owners who handle client paperwork and want to keep files private, and people getting into tech who want a low-effort first try at running an AI model on their own computer. No technical setup is described as required.
- Cost
- Free and open-source under the MIT license, per the provider. No paid tier or usage limits are mentioned.
- Access
- Open to anyone. Downloads are offered for Mac, Windows and Linux at hob.chat. The provider says it chooses a model that fits your computer but does not list minimum hardware requirements, so performance will depend on your machine.
Worth a try if you want AI help with paperwork but don't want client documents leaving your laptop, and it costs nothing to find out. The catch is that local models depend on your hardware, so on an older or lower-memory computer expect slower, simpler answers than the cloud tools give, and skip it if speed matters more than privacy.
Your moveDownload Hob for your operating system from hob.chat, then test it on a non-sensitive PDF to see how quickly the model it picks runs on your computer before trusting it with client files.
Start here