Direct API Access to Six Providers
Connect your own API keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI Studio, OpenRouter, Z.ai, and Vercel AI Gateway. No middleman. No markup. You talk directly to the model.
Cumbersome: Direct API Access for AI
Free iOS/macOS client for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI Studio, OpenRouter, Z.ai, and Vercel AI Gateway. Your API keys. No subscription. Pick any model. Full control.
iPhone, iPad, and Mac
"A feature I have never seen before is the Face/Off mode... The developer built this app out of his own need, which in my experience is a good foundation."
Why Direct API Access Beats Subscriptions
ChatGPT Plus costs around $20/month whether you use it once or a thousand times. With direct API access, you pay per token. Light users spend a few dollars a month. Heavy users get the same models with no rate limits and no monthly commitment.
Consumer AI apps decide which model answers your question. OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google all route requests through opaque layers that can silently swap in a cheaper model. With Cumbersome, you pick the exact model and know you are getting it. GPT-5.1, Claude Sonnet 4.5, Gemini 3 Pro, or any of hundreds of models through OpenRouter or Vercel AI Gateway.
Your conversations sync through iCloud. No backend database, no analytics, no data collection. Cumbersome connects your API keys on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac directly to the providers. I never see your data.
This is the alternative to a ChatGPT subscription: a free app where you pay providers directly for what you use, pick any model from six providers, and keep full control of your conversations.
What You Get
Face/Off Mode
Send one prompt to three models. An AI judge picks the best response. A fast way to compare AI models side by side.
Switch Models Mid-Conversation
Start with GPT-5.1, switch to Claude Sonnet 4.5, finish with Gemini 3 Pro. Compare how different models handle the same conversation without starting over.
Edit Any Message
Fix typos, refine prompts, or reshape entire conversations after the fact. Edit both your messages and AI responses. No other major AI app lets you do this.
Privacy by Architecture
Your conversations sync through iCloud. There is no Folding Sky backend, no account to create, no data collection. Your API keys stay in the Keychain on your devices.
Cost Transparency
Every message shows token counts and estimated cost. You see exactly what you are spending instead of wondering whether a $20/month subscription is worth it.
Also Included
Totally free. No upsell, no subscriptions.
Concurrent chats streaming in parallel.
Markdown, LaTeX, code blocks, attachments.
Export as JSON, copy, or share deep links.
Siri and Shortcuts for hands-free use.
VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, full keyboard nav.
Who This Is For
Frustrated by
- Consumer AI apps that secretly route you to cheaper models
- Paying $20/month whether you use it once or every day
- Interfaces stripped down to a chat bubble with no controls
- Companies harvesting your conversations for training data
- Waiting months for new models to appear in consumer apps
Built for
- Developers who want API control without building a client
- Researchers comparing models across providers
- Professionals who work across iPhone, iPad, and Mac
- Anyone who finds "simplified" AI interfaces dumbed-down
- Power users who want full parameter control
See It in Action
Built by Peter. Bootstrapper in Beaverton.