Frequently asked questions

Compared to others

How is it different from OpenClaw or Hermes?

They're powerful tools for people who like to tinker: you set up a server, give the agent broad access and see what it can do. Eigin is a native app you just download. It runs on the user's device, serves one person, and works within a least-privilege permission model, so it's safe to use by default.

How is it different from Muse or Spark?

They're just as easy to pick up, but they run on their company's servers, under their terms. Eigin is local-first: the agent and everything it knows stay on the user's device, it works with any model, and it keeps the user in the loop.

How it works

How does the local/cloud split work?

Everything lives and runs on the device. Data only leaves for something the user chose: their cloud model, a service they connected, or a relay feature like web search. See System context.

Why native apps rather than cross-platform?

Eigin does heavy lifting at the platform level: on-device ML, hardware acceleration, background execution and deep OS integration. Cross-platform frameworks would cost performance and quality this close to the metal. Native fits what we're building.

Can I trust it?

Eigin runs in a strict agent runtime with a fixed set of declared tools and no shell. By default, it asks before changing the user's data or acting on their behalf. We trade some capability for safety. See Permissions and Privacy and security.

Business and licence

How do you make money?

The app is free, and users pay AI providers directly for what they use. We take a margin on inference through Eigin Relay, which is optional. Most of our revenue comes from adapting Eigin for organisations and institutions.

Can I self-host?

The app already runs on the user's device, and anyone can fork it. The relay ships as a Docker image with Terraform, so you can run your own. See Eigin Relay.

What if you change the deal?

There's no lock-in. The user's data stays their own, the code is AGPL, and everything we've shipped under those terms stays that way.

How do I contribute?

See Contributing.