TL;DR

Cherry Studio is an open-source AI desktop client that brings all major LLM providers under one roof. Key highlights:

  • Multi-provider support: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Ollama, LM Studio, and 20+ more
  • 300+ AI assistants: Pre-configured prompts for coding, writing, analysis, and creative work
  • MCP integration: Extend functionality with Model Context Protocol servers
  • Coding agent: Built-in autonomous coding capabilities with file operations
  • Document processing: Native support for PDFs, Office files, images, and more
  • Cross-platform: Windows, macOS, and Linux with beautiful native UI
  • Local-first: Your data stays on your machine with optional WebDAV backup
  • Free and open-source: AGPL-3.0 license, 39K+ GitHub stars

Download: cherry-ai.com or GitHub Releases

What is Cherry Studio?

If you’ve ever found yourself juggling multiple browser tabs - one for ChatGPT, another for Claude, maybe Gemini in a third - you understand the pain of fragmented AI workflows. Cherry Studio solves this by providing a unified desktop application that connects to virtually every major LLM provider.

Built with Electron and TypeScript, Cherry Studio has rapidly grown to over 39,000 GitHub stars since its launch in May 2024. The project represents a new category of AI tooling: the “universal AI client” that abstracts away provider differences while exposing their unique strengths.

Cherry Studio isn’t just a ChatGPT wrapper. It’s a full-featured AI workstation that includes:

  • Multi-model conversations (talk to GPT-4, Claude, and Gemini simultaneously)
  • 300+ curated AI assistants for specialized tasks
  • Document ingestion and analysis
  • Coding agent capabilities with file system access
  • MCP server integration for custom tools
  • Topic management and conversation organization
  • Export to Markdown, PDF, and more

The application runs entirely on your desktop, meaning your conversations and API keys never pass through third-party servers (unless you choose cloud backup).

Why Choose Cherry Studio?

Unified Model Access

The killer feature is obvious: one app to rule them all. Cherry Studio supports:

Cloud Providers:

  • OpenAI (GPT-4o, GPT-4 Turbo, o1, o1-pro)
  • Anthropic (Claude Opus 4, Sonnet 4, Haiku)
  • Google (Gemini 3 Pro, Flash, Ultra)
  • Mistral (Large, Medium, Small)
  • Cohere (Command R+)
  • DeepSeek (V3, R1)
  • And many more…

Local Models via:

  • Ollama
  • LM Studio
  • vLLM
  • Text Generation WebUI
  • Jan
  • llamafile

AI Web Services:

  • Claude.ai (via browser integration)
  • Perplexity
  • Poe
  • ChatGPT web interface

This means you can use your existing subscriptions (like Claude Pro) directly through Cherry Studio without additional API costs, or mix and match API access with web service integrations.

300+ Pre-configured Assistants

Cherry Studio ships with an extensive library of AI assistants covering:

  • Development: Code reviewer, debugger, architecture advisor, test writer
  • Writing: Blog editor, technical writer, translator, summarizer
  • Analysis: Data analyst, research assistant, document reviewer
  • Creative: Storyteller, marketing copywriter, brainstormer
  • Productivity: Meeting summarizer, email composer, task planner

Each assistant comes with optimized system prompts and can be customized or cloned to create your own variations.

True Multi-Model Conversations

Unlike web interfaces where you’re locked into one model per chat, Cherry Studio lets you:

  1. Send the same prompt to multiple models simultaneously and compare responses
  2. Continue a conversation started with GPT-4 using Claude
  3. Create hybrid workflows where different models handle different subtasks

This is incredibly valuable for:

  • Validating important decisions across models
  • Finding the best model for specific tasks
  • Working around model-specific limitations

Document Processing

Cherry Studio handles files natively:

  • PDFs: Extract text and analyze documents
  • Office files: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Images: Vision-capable models can analyze uploaded images
  • Code files: Syntax-highlighted with proper context

Drag and drop files directly into the chat, and Cherry Studio prepares them for the AI appropriately.

Installation

Cherry Studio provides installers for all major platforms.

Windows

Download the installer from the releases page:

  • Cherry-Studio-x.x.x-x64-setup.exe (Intel/AMD)
  • Cherry-Studio-x.x.x-arm64-setup.exe (ARM-based Windows)

Portable versions are also available if you prefer no installation.

macOS

Direct Download:

  • Cherry-Studio-x.x.x-arm64.dmg (Apple Silicon)
  • Cherry-Studio-x.x.x-x64.dmg (Intel Macs)

Homebrew:

brew install --cask cherry-studio

Note: If macOS blocks the app, run:

sudo xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Cherry\ Studio.app

Linux

AppImage (universal):

chmod +x Cherry-Studio-*.AppImage
./Cherry-Studio-*.AppImage

Debian/Ubuntu (.deb):

sudo dpkg -i Cherry-Studio-*-amd64.deb

Fedora/RHEL (.rpm):

sudo rpm -i Cherry-Studio-*-x86_64.rpm

Arch Linux (AUR):

yay -S cherry-studio
# or
yay -S cherry-studio-bin

Setting Up Providers

After installation, you’ll need to configure at least one AI provider.

OpenAI Setup

  1. Open Settings → Model Providers → OpenAI
  2. Enter your API key from platform.openai.com
  3. Click “Test Connection”
  4. Select which models to enable (GPT-4o, GPT-4 Turbo, o1, etc.)

Anthropic Setup

  1. Open Settings → Model Providers → Anthropic
  2. Enter your API key from console.anthropic.com
  3. Enable Claude Opus 4, Sonnet 4, or Haiku models

Local Models with Ollama

For local model inference:

  1. Install Ollama: ollama.ai
  2. Pull a model: ollama pull llama3.3:70b
  3. In Cherry Studio: Settings → Model Providers → Ollama
  4. Set endpoint to http://localhost:11434
  5. Click “Refresh Models” to see available models

Using Web Services (No API Key)

Cherry Studio can integrate with web services you already subscribe to:

  1. Settings → Model Providers → Claude Web / ChatGPT Web / Poe
  2. The app will open an embedded browser to authenticate
  3. Use your existing subscription without additional API costs

This is particularly valuable for Claude Pro users who want Claude Opus 4 access without paying per-token API rates.

Core Features Deep Dive

Conversations and Topics

Cherry Studio organizes your AI interactions into Topics. Each topic:

  • Maintains its own conversation history
  • Can have a specific assistant assigned
  • Supports custom model selection
  • Can be starred, archived, or organized into folders

The sidebar provides quick access to all topics with search functionality across your entire conversation history.

Multi-Model Chat

To compare models side by side:

  1. Create a new conversation
  2. Click the ”+” next to the model selector
  3. Add additional models to the conversation
  4. Send a message - all models respond in parallel

Responses appear in columns, making it easy to compare outputs. This is invaluable for:

  • Testing which model handles your specific domain best
  • Validating code suggestions across multiple LLMs
  • Getting diverse perspectives on creative tasks

The Assistant Library

Access 300+ pre-configured assistants via the sidebar:

For Developers:

  • Code Reviewer: Analyzes code for bugs, security issues, and best practices
  • Architecture Advisor: Helps design system architectures
  • Debug Assistant: Systematically troubleshoots errors
  • Test Writer: Generates unit and integration tests

For Writers:

  • Blog Editor: Polishes posts for clarity and engagement
  • Technical Writer: Adapts content for documentation
  • Translator: High-quality translation across 50+ languages

For Analysis:

  • Research Synthesizer: Combines multiple sources into insights
  • Data Interpreter: Explains datasets and suggests analyses
  • Document Summarizer: Extracts key points from long documents

Each assistant uses carefully crafted system prompts optimized for their specific task. You can clone any assistant and modify the prompts to suit your needs.

MCP Server Integration

Cherry Studio supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), allowing you to extend its capabilities with custom tools.

What MCP Enables:

  • Database queries directly from chat
  • Integration with external APIs (Slack, GitHub, etc.)
  • Custom file processing tools
  • Automated workflows

Setting Up MCP Servers:

  1. Settings → MCP Servers
  2. Click “Add Server”
  3. Configure the server command and environment

Example for GitHub integration:

{
  "name": "github",
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
  "env": {
    "GITHUB_TOKEN": "ghp_xxxx"
  }
}

Once configured, the AI can use MCP tools during conversations:

  • “List my open PRs” → queries GitHub
  • “Show recent Slack messages in #dev” → fetches from Slack
  • “Run this SQL query on prod” → executes via database server

Coding Agent

Cherry Studio includes coding agent capabilities for autonomous programming:

  • File Operations: Read, write, and modify code files
  • Project Understanding: Analyzes entire codebases for context
  • Autonomous Execution: Chains multiple operations to complete tasks

Example workflow:

You: Add input validation to the user registration form and write tests

Cherry Studio:
1. Reading src/components/RegisterForm.tsx
2. Analyzing current validation logic
3. Modifying RegisterForm.tsx with Zod validation
4. Creating tests/RegisterForm.test.tsx
5. Running tests... ✓ All passed

The coding agent requires explicit approval for file modifications, keeping you in control while enabling significant productivity gains.

Document Processing

Drag and drop documents directly into conversations:

Supported Formats:

  • PDF (with OCR for scanned documents)
  • Word (.docx)
  • Excel (.xlsx)
  • PowerPoint (.pptx)
  • Images (PNG, JPG, WebP)
  • Text files, Markdown, code files

Cherry Studio extracts content appropriately and includes it in your conversation context. Combined with models like Claude or GPT-4 with large context windows, you can analyze entire documents in one go.

Advanced Features

Conversation Branching

Unlike linear chat interfaces, Cherry Studio supports branching conversations:

  1. Click any message in the history
  2. Select “Branch from here”
  3. Explore alternative directions without losing original context

This is perfect for:

  • Trying different approaches to a problem
  • A/B testing prompts
  • Exploring what-if scenarios

Export and Backup

Export Options:

  • Markdown (with code blocks preserved)
  • PDF (formatted for printing/sharing)
  • HTML (for web publishing)
  • JSON (for programmatic access)

Backup with WebDAV:

  1. Settings → Backup → WebDAV
  2. Enter your WebDAV server URL
  3. Configure automatic backup schedule
  4. All conversations and settings sync to your server

This enables:

  • Cross-device synchronization
  • Version history of conversations
  • Disaster recovery

Themes and Customization

Cherry Studio includes extensive theming:

  • Light and dark modes
  • Transparent window support (on supported systems)
  • Custom accent colors
  • Community themes from cherrycss.com

The interface adapts to your system preferences automatically, or you can set a specific theme.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Power users will appreciate comprehensive keyboard support:

ShortcutAction
Cmd/Ctrl + NNew conversation
Cmd/Ctrl + EnterSend message
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + CCopy last response
Cmd/Ctrl + KQuick model switch
Cmd/Ctrl + /Command palette

Cherry Studio vs Other AI Clients

vs ChatGPT/Claude Web

Advantages of Cherry Studio:

  • Access multiple providers from one app
  • Local data storage (privacy)
  • Custom assistants and prompts
  • Better keyboard shortcuts
  • Document processing
  • MCP extensibility

Advantages of Web Clients:

  • No installation
  • Always updated
  • Official support

vs Open WebUI

Cherry Studio wins on:

  • Native desktop experience
  • Pre-configured assistants
  • Document processing
  • Coding agent features
  • Cross-platform polish

Open WebUI wins on:

  • Self-hosted web access
  • Team collaboration features
  • Simpler model switching

vs Msty, Chatbox

Cherry Studio differentiators:

  • Larger assistant library
  • MCP support
  • Coding agent
  • More active development (39K stars)

Enterprise Edition

For teams and organizations, Cherry Studio offers an Enterprise Edition with:

  • Centralized Model Management: Admins configure once, employees use
  • Enterprise Knowledge Base: Shared RAG across team members
  • Access Control: Role-based permissions for models and features
  • Private Deployment: On-premises or private cloud hosting
  • Audit Logging: Track usage across the organization
  • SSO Integration: SAML, OIDC authentication

Contact [email protected] for pricing and demos.

Getting Started: First 10 Minutes

Here’s a quick start guide for new users:

1. Install and Configure (2 min)

Download from cherry-ai.com and run the installer. On first launch, add at least one provider:

  • Fastest: Use Ollama with a local model
  • Best quality: Add your OpenAI or Anthropic API key
  • Budget-friendly: Connect your Claude.ai web session

2. Try the Assistant Library (3 min)

  1. Click “Assistants” in the sidebar
  2. Browse categories or search
  3. Start a chat with “Code Reviewer”
  4. Paste some code and get instant feedback

3. Upload a Document (2 min)

  1. Start a new conversation
  2. Drag a PDF into the chat window
  3. Ask: “Summarize the key points”
  4. Watch it analyze and respond

4. Compare Models (3 min)

  1. Click ”+” next to the model selector
  2. Add GPT-4o and Claude Sonnet 4
  3. Ask a coding question
  4. Compare responses side by side

You now have a working multi-model AI workstation!

Tips for Power Users

Optimize Token Usage

  • Use local models for drafts and iteration
  • Switch to paid APIs only for final outputs
  • Leverage the Assistant library’s optimized prompts

Build Custom Workflows

  1. Clone an existing assistant
  2. Modify the system prompt for your specific use case
  3. Add to favorites for quick access
  4. Create keyboard shortcuts for frequent assistants

Integrate with Your Dev Environment

  • Set up MCP servers for your key tools
  • Use the coding agent for repetitive refactors
  • Export conversation snippets to your docs

Backup Strategy

  • Enable WebDAV backup to Nextcloud or similar
  • Export critical conversations to Markdown
  • Version control your custom assistants as JSON

Conclusion

Cherry Studio represents the maturation of AI desktop tooling. Rather than locking you into a single provider’s ecosystem, it embraces the multi-model reality of modern AI development. With 39,000+ GitHub stars and active development, it’s become the go-to choice for developers and power users who demand flexibility.

The combination of unified provider access, 300+ curated assistants, MCP extensibility, and genuine coding agent capabilities makes Cherry Studio far more than just another chat wrapper. It’s a productivity multiplier that adapts to how you work rather than forcing you into a rigid workflow.

Whether you’re a solo developer switching between models for different tasks, or a team evaluating multiple providers, Cherry Studio provides the foundation for serious AI-augmented work.

Download Cherry Studio:

Resources: