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SillyTavern

sillytavern.app

Free plan Open source WebWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidAPI
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Spec score 8.4 #9 of 24 in Byok System

What it is

SillyTavern is a locally installed interface for interacting with text-generation models, image-generation engines, and text-to-speech voice models. Users can create, import, and switch between character cards, then return to chat histories or review them. The interface includes group chats, lorebooks, personas, prompt controls, chat commands, scripting, and built-in retrieval-augmented generation. Extensions can add character sprites, chat summarization and translation, image generation, text-to-speech, and web search. SillyTavern works with local and cloud model backends, including KoboldCpp, llama.cpp, Ollama, OpenAI, Claude, Mistral, OpenRouter, and AI Horde. The project says it will remain free and open source under AGPL-3.0 and provides no hosted service. It says it does not programmatically track user data, though cloud providers may log information sent to them. Local use requires a system supporting NodeJS 20 or higher; documentation recommends an NVIDIA 3000-series GPU with at least 6GB of VRAM for local inference. The app was not designed for very large character libraries, and performance can degrade above 1,000 characters.

Spec sheet

What it does
SillyTavern is a locally installed interface for text-generation LLMs, image engines and text-to-speech models.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Purpose
SillyTavern is a locally installed interface for interacting with text generation LLMs, image generation engines, and text-to-speech voice models.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Audience
The project describes itself as a tool for savvy AI hobbyists and power users who want control over their LLM prompts.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Platforms
Installation guides are provided for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and Docker; iOS users can access the interface through a browser connected to another computer running SillyTavern.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Integrations
SillyTavern supports local and cloud LLM backends, including KoboldCpp, llama.cpp, Ollama, OpenAI, Claude, Mistral, OpenRouter, and AI Horde.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Privacy
The project says it provides no online or hosted services and does not programmatically track user data; cloud model providers may log data sent to their services.Read 3 Oct 2026 · github.com
Support
The project directs users to its Discord community, GitHub issues, and documentation for help.Read 3 Oct 2026 · github.com
Founded
2023Read 28 Sep 2026 · sillytavern.app
API integrations
Documented connectors include local KoboldCpp, llama.cpp, Ollama, Oobabooga and TabbyAPI plus cloud services such as OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Mistral, OpenRouter, DeepSeek, Cohere, Perplexity and others.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
API key storage
SillyTavern stores API keys in a secrets.json file in the user data directory and hides them in the interface by default after saving and refreshing.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
API trade-offs
Local APIs are free and private but can require complex setup and 5–50 GB model downloads, while cloud APIs are generally stronger but usually paid and may filter content.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Backend dependency
SillyTavern supplies the interface and requires an LLM backend such as AI Horde, OpenAI-compatible services, KoboldAI or Tabby.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Character cards
Character cards store prompts that define an AI character's behavior and support persistent conversations.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Character chats
Users can create, import, and switch between character cards, with chat histories they can resume or review.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Chat features
Features include group chats, lorebooks, user personas, prompt controls, chat commands, scripting, and built-in retrieval-augmented generation.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Commands and scripting
The product includes a chat-command subsystem and its own STscript scripting language.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Developer extensibility
STscript, function calling, browser UI extensions and Node.js server plugins allow scripts, event hooks, new endpoints and external-provider integrations.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Extensions
Built-in or downloadable extensions provide sprites, summaries, translation, Stable Diffusion/FLUX/DALL-E images, text-to-speech and web search.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Group chats
Group-chat rooms allow multiple character bots to converse with the user or one another.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Image generation integrations
The project lists Stable Diffusion, FLUX, and DALL-E image generation among its extension capabilities.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Installation platforms
Official guides cover Windows, Linux, macOS, Android through Termux and Docker, with release and staging branches.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Licence
SillyTavern is released under the AGPL-3.0 licence.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Limit: context management
An independent benchmark notes that lore consumes context budget and complex multi-character prompting can cause ordering and consistency problems.Read 14 Oct 2026 · axiobench.com
Limit: interface
Users report confusing menus, inconsistent settings locations, weak mobile usability and difficult card management.Read 14 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
Limit: setup
Independent users describe installation, API selection and first-time configuration as technically demanding and time-consuming.Read 14 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
Local inference hardware
The documentation recommends an NVIDIA 3000-series GPU with at least 6 GB VRAM for local model inference.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Local model requirements
SillyTavern runs on systems that support NodeJS 20 or higher, and the documentation recommends an NVIDIA 3000-series GPU with at least 6GB of VRAM for local inference.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Media and extensions
Extensions support character sprites, chat summarization and translation, image generation, text-to-speech, and web search.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Mobile limitation
iPhone and iPad cannot run the complete application locally; Android Termux operation is possible but officially unsupported.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Notable limitation
The documentation says the app was not designed for huge character libraries and performance degradation can become noticeable above 1,000 characters.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Notable security news
A May 3, 2026 maintainer notice said a malicious third-party Bot Browser extension exploited a patched backup vulnerability to exfiltrate API keys from pre-1.17.0 installations.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Origins and contributors
The community project began in February 2023 as a TavernAI 1.2.8 fork and reports more than 300 contributors.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Personas
User personas let the model receive a defined identity for more immersive interactions.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Praise: control
Independent reviewers praise granular prompt/model control, customization and the ability to choose local or hosted backends.Read 14 Oct 2026 · genfindr.com
Praise: extensibility
Reviewers repeatedly value character cards, lorebooks, group chats and a large community extension ecosystem.Read 14 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
Pricing and license
SillyTavern says it will always be free and open-source and is released under the AGPL-3.0 license.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Project origin
SillyTavern began in February 2023 as a fork of TavernAI 1.2.8 and reports more than 300 contributors.Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
RAG
Built-in retrieval-augmented generation lets users attach documents for the AI to reference.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Rating on AI Test Guide
4.2 out of 5 editorial score; the page gives no review count.Read 14 Oct 2026 · aitestguide.com
Rating on G2
0.0 out of 5 from 0 reviews.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on GenFindr
9.0 out of 10 editorial score, with no user ratings reported.Read 14 Oct 2026 · genfindr.com
Rating on Google Play (MiniTavern unofficial client)
1.0 out of 5 from 37 reviews; MiniTavern is a third-party app marketed as SillyTavern-compatible.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Rating on Google Play (Tavo unofficial client)
4.5 out of 5 from about 1,550 reviews; Tavo is a third-party SillyTavern-compatible app, not an official SillyTavern release.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Security limitation
Maintainers warn the server is not secure for direct public-internet exposure and that multi-user mode stores chat histories, API keys and other sensitive data as plain files.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Support and documentation
The project provides extensive usage and contributor documentation plus Discord, Reddit and GitHub issue support channels.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
System requirement
The application runs on systems capable of running Node.js 20 or newer.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
Text generation controls
It provides advanced text-generation settings and community-created presets.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
UI customization
Users can change themes, backgrounds and custom CSS.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app
World Info
World Info entries add lore or save tokens by inserting relevant information into prompts.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app

Plans and prices

SillyTavern Free free and open-source · self-hosted interface · requires separate LLM backend Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.sillytavern.app

Every SillyTavern plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free and open source under AGPL-3.0.
  • Supports local and cloud model backends.
  • Includes character chats, lorebooks, and prompt controls.
  • Extensions can add image and voice features.
  • No hosted service is provided.

Limits

  • Requires NodeJS 20 or higher.
  • Local inference has a recommended GPU specification.
  • Performance can degrade above 1,000 characters.
  • Cloud providers may log submitted data.

Who it suits

SillyTavern is aimed at AI hobbyists and power users who want control over LLM prompts. It suits people comfortable installing a local interface and connecting it to local or cloud model backends.

Verdict

SillyTavern offers extensive chat and prompt controls for users choosing their own model backend. Its local installation and character-library performance limits are important considerations.

Where Specifiction places it

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