Setup & Onboarding
- Reverie
- Sign up and chat in a browser; imports PNG and JSON cards (V1–V3), lorebooks and JSONL chats
- SillyTavern
- Install on Windows, Linux, Mac, Android or Docker (Node.js 20+), then connect a model
SillyTavern is a free, open-source frontend you install and connect to a model yourself. Reverie hosts everything: bring your cards, lorebooks and chats and keep going on any device.
Moving from SillyTavern? See the import guideQuick verdict
Choose Reverie if
Stay with SillyTavern if
SillyTavern is a locally installed interface for language models, built for power users: character cards, World Info, group chats, personas, extensions and scripting. You supply the model backend. Here is how it compares with Reverie as of October 2026.
SillyTavern runs on Node.js on your computer, a server or Android. Updates, backups and access from other devices are up to you.
It's an interface only: you connect an API (and pay for it) or run a model locally, ideally on a GPU with 6GB+ of VRAM.
Its own docs say it embraces a steep learning curve. Reverie works in a browser with models included.
Total control
Prompts, generation settings, scripting and a big extension ecosystem: SillyTavern lets you tune everything.
Free and open source
AGPL-3.0, with more than 300 contributors and no account to make.
Checked on October 14, 2026 against SillyTavern's own site, help pages and app store listings. Plans change, so follow the source links before you subscribe.
Public prices in US dollars, checked on October 14, 2026. Some vary by region and app store.
Reverie Pricing
Free plan with a free model (no daily message limit) and daily check-in credits. Paid plans add monthly credits for stronger models.
Free
$0.00
Pro
$9.99Monthly
Premium
$19.99Monthly
Ultimate
$59.99Monthly
SillyTavern
Software, model, API, or hosting costs depend on your setup.
Reverie isn't the only option. These are the apps people weigh it against most often, each with its own trade-offs.
A big character-card hub that runs on your own API keys or its Mars models.
Chub AI comparedA huge library of community bots with a free in-house model, or your own API key.
Janitor AI comparedFree, no-sign-up AI character chat whose chats stay in your browser.
Perchance comparedUpload PNG or JSON cards in the character importer; embedded lorebooks become World Book entries. Bring chats over as JSONL with the chat history importer. The SillyTavern import guide covers each step.
Choose the next step for your characters, conversations, or stories.
Sign up free and import your cards, lorebooks and chats. Or try a character first as a guest.