Ensoul vs Utsuwa

Ensoul is a local-first AI companion app that keeps a companion’s identity, memory, mood, and history as documents on the user’s device. It runs on Android, macOS, Windows, and the web. Users can connect directly to a provider or use one key to access Claude, GPT, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, and open models. Memories from conversations can be reviewed, corrected, or deleted. Ensoul can import companions from documents, folders, files, character cards, notes, and chat exports, then export a folder containing identity, history, media, and tools. Listed features include group conversations between companions, generated images, and voice. Its folder tool can read coding-agent session stores from Claude Code, Codex, opencode, and DeepSeek Harness. The free plan requires users to bring their own model key and does not require an account. Hosted access is available through a 12.00 USD one-time contribution, which grants three months of sustained access. Desktop and mobile app data is stored locally; browser data and API keys are kept in that browser’s local storage. The maker describes Ensoul as early software built by one person.

Utsuwa is a free, open-source AI companion app built around a 3D VRM avatar, voice, memory, and a relationship system. It supports models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, DeepSeek, and xAI, along with OpenAI-compatible endpoints, Ollama, and LM Studio. Users can load their own VRM avatars. Local embeddings support semantic recall, and users can browse, search, add, or delete stored memories. Voice options include hosted and local services. The listed capabilities include voice conversations, persistent memory, proactive messages, and image or video chat. Utsuwa can run entirely on a user's machine with local models and voice services. Its maker says there are no accounts, analytics, ads, or tracking cookies, and conversations, memories, and settings stay on the device. In the hosted web app, cloud-provider requests may be relayed through Utsuwa servers; the maker says those servers do not store messages or API keys or log conversation content. Desktop messages go directly to the selected provider, but the desktop app is in beta and its builds are not code-signed. The maker states that Utsuwa is intended for adults aged 18 and over.