Hi, I'm Artem, an AI developer, builder, and proud dad.

My all-in-one AI tool Writingmate was born after I had too many late-night battles with puzzled chatbots. On days when I’m not changing diapers, I am on every latest AI paper and tool, I can lay my hands on.

In this guide, I’ll share everything I’ve learned so far. We’ll explore:  

1. Why LibreChat might not be the best fit for everyone

2. A quick cost & features comparison

3. A breakdown of 6 solid alternatives (including ChatGPT, Open Web UI, DeepSeek R1, and Writingmate.ai)

By the end, you’ll know exactly which AI chat tool matches your goals, skills, and budget - as of August 2025. 

Why should you use Beyond LibreChat?

A quick rewind to early 2024 when I was building the very first writingmate.ai demo right in my living room. Using LibreChat open source code, I was able to launch a multi-model interface in just a single weekend. It was flexible, fast, and packed with plug-ins.

Then a non-tech-savvy friend asked me: “Can I just login without setting up anything?” That one question changed everything and pushed me to a more friendly solution.

Don’t get me wrong: LibreChat is powerful and free. But after testing it with real users, I realized it’s not for everyone. Here’s why explored other options:  

1. No setup required - not everyone wants to deal with API keys or even know how to use them. Some people simply want to sign in and chat right away

2. Faster access to the latest models-Models like Deepseek, Gemini, and Liana 4 often appear faster on hosted tools than the others.

3. Missing user-friendly features: Librechat wasn't built with mobile apps, voice chat, or built-in images in mind which doesn't make it user-friendly, unlike cutting-edge models.

4. They are more reliable: A self-host error message when you’re under a deadline is not ideal

5. Clearer and predictable costs: Open APIs mostly seem cheap until some usage cost sneaks up. Some bundled tools make costs easier to manage

A user once said:

“LibreChat is alright but feels bloated and overcomplicated.” – cmdr-William-Riker on Reddit (August 2025)

A quick glance

I have a cheat sheet glued to my monitor to avoid Googling “prices of XYZ” every time a teammate asks which tool is most appropriate.

1. ChatGPT- Remains the golden benchmark

Confession time: when GPT was launched, it became a new Netflix show for me. In a single day, I burned $80 on API credit by exploring it. Even as a founder, I still have my GPT closely within my reach because the raw model qualities are great.

Reasons why you might like it:

• Freshly new GPT-5: this long-awaited model was released on August, 7. Available even for free users, with limits

• Easy access: there is no need for API keys or setting up. Just log in and get started

• Official Plug-in: it is an official plug-in for browsing file analysis, and so much more

• Polished mobile apps: it includes voice chat and a sleek interface for easy interaction

Things you need to consider:

• Access to only Open AI’s models: you are limited to only ChatGPT environment, which means you have no access to Llama, Grok, Claude, or Gemini

• $20 monthly charges: there is a charge of $20/mon for heavy GPT-5 access.

Real-World Takes

“We are going to focus on finishing the GPT‑5 rollout and getting things stable.” – Sam Altman on X, August, 2025.

2. Poe – A model buffet you can pocket

Quick BTS: When we were testing the early version of writingmate.ai. Our alpha testers kept asking,” How good is this compared to Poe?”. So that prompted me to get engrossed with the Poe app for a week to learn. I practically started living in that app, which even made me eat more tacos because it feels so good for typing on a phone while waiting in line for lunch.

Highlights:

• You can switch between different AI models like a TV channel

• The starter plan is budget-friendly for casual users

• Native iOS /Android app which makes it a perfect option for quick Q&As on the go

Watchouts:

• Pay-as-you-go “points” systems can be confusing, especially for new users.

• There are no custom agents or plug-in marketplaces 

A proud user shoutout:

“Usage was led by GPT‑5‑nano (8%), then mini (6%), then GPT‑5 (3%).” @Poe on Twitter

3. Open Web UI - Your private, offline LLM Hub

A potential client once invited me to do a live demo inside their secured VPN only environment. We fired up an Openweb UI off-line server and watched a full GPT-4 model run locally (without Internet). That lowkey gave me geek chills.

What sold me:

• Offline support: works offline with local models, which means no data leaves your machine.

• It provides a one-click workflow for tasks like summarizing, translating, and retrieval augmented generation (RAG).

• It is team-friendly because it provides role-based access for team members.

Things you need to watch out for:

• The setup can be more difficult than LibreChat if you skip the documentation.

• No built-in image generation or voice features yet.

4. ChatbotUI - Fast, Minimal, and fully yours

A friend dared me to deploy a chatbot, during a coffee break. Guess what! It finished running before my latte cooled . That’s the kind of speed and simplicity it’s known for.

Highlights 

• One config file: it has a dead-simple setup, just one config file, and you are set to go

• Clean interface: which is similar to that of ChatGPT

• MIT Licensed: it is fully open-sourced and rebrandable.

What to consider

• It supports one provider at a time unless you hack around

• It’s just basic, no plugin, no agent, image, or extras.

5. DeepSeek R1 - A free GPT-4 class Brain

I remembered when DeepSeek R1 went public, my Slack exploded with messages from my team,” Artem, this feels like GPT-4 but freeeee…..??.”

I made some espresso, opened Deepseek, and watched it solve a difficult Leetcode puzzle in under 15 seconds, I was amazed.

Highlights:

• 32k context window: great  for large docs and research purposes 

• Free GPT-4 level performance for everyone 

• It has a good mix of code, maths, and analysis talents.

Considerations

• Can be slower during peak hours

• It requires less integration than tools like ChatGPT or Poe

What users say:

“Well thank God DeepSeek’s search function is rock‑solid reliable.” coloradical5280 on Reddit (August, 2025)

6. Writingmate - My all-in-one AI Platform

From the founder's desk: Writingmate.ai started as a weekend side project because I was frustrated and wanted a “why can’t I just compare GPT and Claude side-by-side?”.

Two years down the line, it has grown to be a tool that I use daily and now supports over 200+ models.

What makes it stand out:

• 200+Al models are supported, including GPT-5, o3, Claude 4.1, Grok 4. 

• Side by side comparison: Ask one question and get up to four answers.

• Image generation tools like DALL-E3, Stable Diffusion, and many more. 

• Voice to text: You can speak your prompt and hear your answers instead of typing.

• Chat with files: You can upload PDFs, spreadsheets, audio, and dive into the data.

• Live web search: it’s perfect for current market data and research. 

• AI agents with MCP: You can easily build your assistants that can run code or call any tool via MCP.

• Coming soon: visual canvas and smart document manager.

Why I switched from LibreChat to Writingmate

As much as I loved Librechat’s flexibility, I eventually needed something smoother and Writingmate.ai ticked all the boxes .

1. No API Key juggling: Subscriptions include model usage, so I don’t need to set up keys.

2. Zero maintenance: Updates roll out weekly, you just need to refresh the tab, and boom! New features added.

3. Predictable Costs: There is one flat monthly rate so there is no need for a surprise bill.

Try it here – new.writingmate.ai.

Customer spotlight:

"I added Writingmate AI to my stack… helps with doc review, AI content, and comparing multiple models." – InternationalBite4 on Reddit (August 2025)

Final thoughts

This lineup has been shaped through testing and plenty of caffeinated nights. Here is a quick recap to help  you decide:

• Librechat & Openweb UI - For full control and local hosting.

• ChatGPT- Best for instant GPT-5 capabilities 

• Poe - offers models of ease and variety 

• DeepSeek - Free access to advanced, GPT4-level AI

• Writingmate.ai - An all-in-one workspace with over 200 AI models.

My challenge to you today:

Try two or three this week. Most platforms offer free tiers, so it won’t cost more than a coffee break. Once you find the one that helps you work faster, stick with it and let AI handle the heavy lifting.

Want to see the one I use daily? Sign up for Writingmate’s plan and test 200+ AI models, MCP, side-by-side comparisons, file uploads, and more, all in one polished interface.

If you have questions or want to discuss LLMs – find me on LinkedIn.