SillyTavern vs Janitor AI (2026): Setup, Privacy, Price

How we compared

We compared SillyTavern and Janitor AI (JanitorAI) on the seven text dimensions from our full ranking of NSFW AI chat and roleplay sites, plus price, free tier, platforms and setup. The table above lists every fact side by side.

The seven dimensions are models and context, characters and tools, content rules, message limits, privacy and training, age verification, and user reports. They are the same for every tool on the text desk. Setup is not one of the seven, but it matters more here than anywhere else on the desk, because one of the two is software you install and the other is a website.

Facts come from JanitorAI’s own pricing page, help articles, terms and privacy policy, and from SillyTavern’s docs and GitHub repository. User report figures come from Trustpilot and are third-party. Where a fact is not published, we write “Not stated”.

This pairing is unusual. On paper, SillyTavern wins more of the seven dimensions. But it is a front-end with no model of its own, so what you get depends on a backend you must set up and, often, pay for. JanitorAI is first in our ranking and SillyTavern is third. We weigh how much a typical adult gets on day one, not only what an expert can build. Our methodology page explains the full process. Facts were last checked on 25 October 2026.

How do SillyTavern and JanitorAI compare, dimension by dimension?

SillyTavern wins on models, tools, content limits and privacy. JanitorAI wins on ready-made characters, age checks, apps and setup. Each section below starts with the short answer.

Which has better models and context?

SillyTavern, if you have a backend. JanitorAI, if you want a model that works out of the box.

SillyTavern is a front-end only. It connects to OpenAI-compatible APIs, KoboldAI, Tabby, AI Horde and local backends. Context length depends on the model you connect. With a strong model, you can get far more context than any free hosted tier. With no model, you get nothing, because SillyTavern has none built in.

JanitorAI runs a free in-house model called JLLM with about 8k to 9K tokens of context. janitor+ gives five times more context and more models. JanitorAI also lets users connect their own API proxies, such as OpenRouter, which narrows the gap with SillyTavern for users who already pay for an API.

So both can reach other models through an API. The difference is the default. JanitorAI gives every user a working model for free. SillyTavern gives you a choice of every model, and the job of supplying one.

Edge: SillyTavern, for model choice. JanitorAI for a free default model.

Which has better characters and tools?

SillyTavern has more tools. JanitorAI has the ready-made catalog.

SillyTavern includes World Info lorebooks, group chats, personas, Data Bank RAG, a scripting engine and extensions. It uses character cards. The scripting engine and extensions let you change how chats run.

JanitorAI has a large catalog of user-made bots, with personas, tags and scripts. Bots with sexual content must carry the Limitless tag. It does not allow explicit avatar images. With the catalog, you can pick a ready-made character instead of writing one.

Edge: SillyTavern for tools, JanitorAI for the catalog.

What do the content rules allow?

SillyTavern sets no rules of its own. JanitorAI allows explicit roleplay on labeled bots, with a list of bans.

SillyTavern’s docs say it has no content rules. Limits come from the backend. The docs also say hosted models are often censored, so a user who connects a hosted API may still hit that provider’s rules. With a local model, the only limits are the model’s own.

JanitorAI allows sexual content on bots tagged Limitless. It bans minors, gore, bestiality and sexual violence. NSFW is off by default in its mobile app.

Edge: SillyTavern, with a local model.

What are the message limits?

SillyTavern has none in the software. JanitorAI lists no free cap. This is close.

SillyTavern has no message limits. Speed and limits depend on the backend or your local hardware. A paid API may charge per use, and a local model is only as fast as your GPU.

JanitorAI’s FAQ lists no message cap on the free tier. janitor+ gives about three times faster replies when the site is busy, plus enhanced swipes. Usage limits apply to janitor+, and their size is Not stated.

Edge: even. Neither caps messages in writing. Real limits come from SillyTavern’s backend and JanitorAI’s busy times.

How do they handle privacy and training?

SillyTavern, by a wide margin. It is the most private option on our text desk when paired with a local model.

SillyTavern runs locally and does not track user data. With a self-hosted model, all text stays on your PC. If you connect a hosted API instead, that provider’s privacy policy applies to the text you send.

JanitorAI’s privacy policy does not say whether chats train models. It says data is kept only as long as necessary. Retention length is Not stated.

Edge: SillyTavern.

How do they verify age?

JanitorAI checks in three countries. SillyTavern has no age verification, because it is self-hosted software.

JanitorAI uses 18+ self-declaration in most places. For IPs in Australia, Brazil and the UK, it uses k-ID with a face estimate, an ID photo or a reused check.

SillyTavern does not verify age. It is software you run yourself, with no hosted service. Our age verification brief covers how hosted services check age.

Edge: JanitorAI.

What do users report?

JanitorAI has a small public record. SillyTavern has none we could find, so the two cannot be weighed against each other.

JanitorAI has 2.5 out of 5 from 35 Trustpilot reviews. Complaints focus on bans, support and output quality. These figures are third-party.

We found no public reviews of SillyTavern. It is open-source software with a GitHub repository, and it has no official support channel.

Edge: even, for lack of data on SillyTavern.

How much do SillyTavern and JanitorAI cost?

Both can cost nothing. What you pay beyond that depends on the model.

Item	SillyTavern	JanitorAI
Software or site	Free, open source (AGPL-3.0)	Free
Built-in model	None; you supply a backend	JLLM, about 8k to 9K context, free
Paid plan	None	janitor+ $12.99 a month or $99 a year
More context	Depends on the model you connect	janitor+ gives 5 times the free context
Other models	OpenAI-compatible APIs, KoboldAI, Tabby, AI Horde, local	Your own API proxy, such as OpenRouter
Local model cost	Free apart from hardware; needs a capable GPU	Not offered

janitor+ on yearly billing works out to $8.25 a month. Paying monthly for a year would cost $155.88, so the yearly plan saves $56.88.

SillyTavern has no plan to buy. If you run a local model, the cost is your hardware. If you connect a paid API, the cost depends on that provider’s pricing, which SillyTavern does not set. A free JanitorAI user and a SillyTavern user with a local model both pay nothing per message. The difference is that one needs a capable GPU and the other needs a browser.

What does setup look like?

This is where JanitorAI wins most clearly.

JanitorAI works in a browser or in its iOS and Android apps. You pick a character from the catalog and chat with the free model. In most places, age is self-declared. NSFW is off by default in the mobile app.

SillyTavern needs installation with Node.js on Windows, macOS, Linux or Android. Then you must connect a backend. That means either an API key from a model provider or a local model server, which needs a capable GPU. There is no official support channel, so you rely on the docs and the community. For a first-timer, this is the main obstacle.

Edge: JanitorAI. Setup decides whether most adults can use the tool at all. SillyTavern wins more dimensions on paper, but each of those wins needs a working install and a backend first, so for most readers this dimension outweighs the others.

Which platforms do they support?

JanitorAI runs on the web, iOS and Android. SillyTavern runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android. If you use an iPhone, JanitorAI is the only option of the two. If you want to run on your own desktop, SillyTavern is built for that.

Where does each one win?

SillyTavern wins on privacy, tools, model choice and content freedom. JanitorAI wins on setup, the catalog, a free default model, age checks and iOS.

Where SillyTavern wins

• Privacy. With a local model, all text stays on your PC, and the software does not track user data.
• Tools. World Info lorebooks, group chats, personas, Data Bank RAG, scripting and extensions.
• Model choice. OpenAI-compatible APIs, KoboldAI, Tabby, AI Horde and local backends.
• Content limits. No rules of its own. With a local model, only the model’s limits apply.
• Price. Free and open source, with no plan to buy.

Where JanitorAI wins

• Setup. Works in a browser or app with no install.
• Free model. JLLM with about 9K context, included for every user.
• Catalog. A large catalog of user-made characters, ready to open.
• Age checks. k-ID checks in Australia, Brazil and the UK.
• Apps. iOS and Android apps, plus the web.
• Upgrade path. janitor+ at $99 a year for 5 times the context, with no hardware needed.

Which one should you choose?

Choose JanitorAI if you want to start roleplay today without installing anything. It gives every user a free model with about 9K context, no published free message cap and a large catalog, and janitor+ adds five times the context for $99 a year. It is our overall pick on the text desk. Keep in mind that its privacy policy does not say whether chats train models. See the JanitorAI profile.

Choose SillyTavern if privacy comes first, you are comfortable with Node.js and you have a capable GPU or an API you already pay for. With a local model, nothing leaves your PC and no company sets your content rules. It is the best fit on our text desk for users who want full control.

A middle path exists. JanitorAI lets you connect your own API proxy, and SillyTavern connects to OpenAI-compatible APIs. If you start on JanitorAI and later want more privacy or tools, the move to SillyTavern is smaller than it looks. For more choices, see our Janitor AI alternatives report and our JanitorAI vs SpicyChat comparison.