Stuard AI is a “local-first” AI workspace designed to run inside your own computer. Unlike cloud-based chat services, your conversations, files, and screen information stay on your machine by default. Beyond chat and research, it can hand real work to agents ─ email triage, calendar handling, browser operation, file organization, and report writing ─ and any task that works out can be saved as a workflow and run again. It is currently available for Windows 10/11, with an invitation-only waitlist for macOS and Linux.
Key Features
- Local-first design: Chat, files, and screen information stay on your PC and nothing syncs unless you ask it to. The official site states that Stuard never trains on your data and never sells it
- Ask / Watch / Keep in three steps: Make a request in plain language (Ask), review and approve the plan before it runs (Watch), and save successful runs as workflows (Keep). Instead of letting it run fully automatically from the start, you can check the plan first
- Agents that do the actual work: Email triage and drafting, social media replies, web form filling, browser automation, local file search, reports with citations, and calendar invite handling
- One shared memory: Chat, research, and agents draw on the same memory, so you do not have to re-explain context every time you switch functions
- Workflows and scheduled runs: Triggers, actions, and branches are composed on a visual canvas to automate routine work. Scheduled runs are supported, and with cloud credits tasks can keep going while your PC is closed
- Reversible changes: File edits are recorded in a reversible form and permissions can be controlled manually, so you can roll back a result you are not happy with
- Bring your own model: Using your own API keys or local models lets you keep working without paying Stuard anything
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (forever) | Unlimited local use. Chat, voice, workflows, agents, local file search and memory, bring your own API keys |
| Credits Starter | $5/month | 100 credits. Stuard-managed models, always-on cloud for agents, semantic file search |
| Credits Standard | $30/month | 700 credits. Same as Starter with a larger credit allowance |
| Credits Premium | $100/month | 2,500 credits. Same as Starter with a larger credit allowance |
Credits can be bought monthly or as a one-time purchase and can be cancelled at any time. The free plan is not a trial ─ as long as you stay local, there is no charge. Credits are only needed when you want agents running continuously in the cloud.
Pricing is current as of August 2026. Check the official site for the latest details.
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Because processing is local by default, it is easier to work with private files and documents that cannot leave the organization
- The free plan has few functional limits, and with your own API keys you can effectively keep using it for free
- You can review the plan before execution, which makes agent runaway less likely
- Successful tasks can be locked in as workflows, so you do not have to rewrite the same instructions each time
- File edits are reversible, which keeps the cost of failure low
⚠️ Cons
- General availability is Windows 10/11 only; macOS and Linux are still at the invitation-only waitlist stage
- Since execution is mainly local, performance depends on your PC’s specifications
- With your own API keys, the actual cost lands with the API provider rather than Stuard (free at the surface is not free in total)
- Always-on cloud runs consume credits, making costs harder to predict as usage grows
- It is a relatively new service, and information and case studies are still limited
Comparison with Similar Services
| Item | Stuard AI | ChatGPT (agent features) | Manus | LM Studio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Mainly your own PC (cloud optional) | Cloud | Cloud | Your own PC |
| Main use | Automating real work on your PC | General chat plus task execution | Autonomous task completion | Environment for running local LLMs |
| Saving workflows | Created and saved on a visual canvas | Limited | Per task | Not applicable (it is a runtime) |
| Bring your own model | Own API keys and local models supported | Not supported | Not supported | Local models by design |
| Supported OS | Windows 10/11 (Mac and Linux by invitation) | Web and major OSes | Web | Windows / macOS / Linux |
Who Is It For
- People who want AI to handle work on local files and email but do not want to upload data to the cloud
- People who repeat routine work every week ─ email triage, report writing, form filling ─ and want it automated
- People who already hold API keys from providers such as OpenAI and do not want another subscription
- People who prefer to review what an agent intends to do before it runs
- Sole proprietors and small teams working primarily on Windows
Summary
Stuard AI is a local-first workspace that aims to go beyond “talking to an AI” and into the actual work on your PC. Data stays on your machine, plans can be reviewed before execution, and successful runs can be preserved as workflows ─ a combination that suits people who want both automation of routine work and control over how their information is handled. On the other hand, general availability is limited to Windows, with macOS and Linux still invitation-only. Since the free plan includes genuinely usable features, a practical approach is to try local use first and consider credits only when always-on cloud execution becomes necessary.