Writing & notes
SillyTavern
A power user's front end for talking to models
★ 33k
August 2026
AGPL-3.0
Writing & notes
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 6 Sept 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 14 Aug 2026We read the licence text itself (LICENSE). No unusual restrictions were stated.
- 30 Aug 2026We read the project's own documentation and found signs that it may no longer be maintained.
Where this sits among the 52 tools we list in Writing & notes
- Commercial use confirmed as allowed39 of 52
- Requires terminal commands38 that do not →
- Requires an API key27 that do not →
- Sends your input to the provider11 that do not →
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
What it does
One interface across many providers — local backends, OpenAI, Claude, Mistral, OpenRouter and more — with character definitions, lorebooks, Visual Novel mode, image generation and TTS hookups, auto-translate, and more prompt controls than most people will ever touch. Mobile-friendly, documented in several languages including Japanese. The depth is the barrier: if you just want answers to questions, something simpler will serve you better. AGPL-3.0.
Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.
Screenshots & visuals
Before you start
- Setup difficultySome setup needed
- Command lineRequired
- API keyRequired
- Sends data onlineYes
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
SillyTavern FAQ
- Is SillyTavern free?
- SillyTavern itself is free, but it needs an API key for an external AI service. That service charges separately, though some have a free tier.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use SillyTavern?
- It needs the command line. If you are not comfortable typing commands, expect to get stuck during setup.
- Does SillyTavern work on a phone?
- No. It needs a computer.
- Can I use SillyTavern commercially?
- The licence is AGPL-3.0. Using it commercially is fine, but if you distribute something built on it you may be required to release that under the same licence. Keep it internal, or check before distributing.
How it compares
The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.
| Tool | Command line | API key | Sends data out | Phone | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SillyTavern (this page) | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
| WriteHERE | Required | Required | No | No | Not verified |
| deepwiki-open | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
| novel | Required | Required | Yes | No | Yes |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.