Ghost Core (site) is a personal AI computer that runs entirely on-device, sold as a one-time hardware purchase of $3,499 with no subscription required. It has no free tier at all, so if you want to try a personal AI assistant without that upfront cost, here are three software-based alternatives that do offer a free way in.
Comparison
| Product | Free tier | Starts at | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naseem | Yes | $49/mo (Pro) | Mac users who want an agent to do real tasks, bringing their own AI |
| Proto-Mind | Yes (free public beta) | Not stated | Mac users who want a free floating AI workspace |
| Hark | Yes | $20/mo (Pro 2) | People who want a fully free, ad-free tier with room to scale up |
Naseem
Naseem (site) is a native AI agent built for Mac that does real work rather than just chatting — the brief doesn't specify exact tasks, but it's positioned as an agent, not a chatbot. It suits Mac users who want to bring their own AI model rather than pay for a bundled one. The free plan has basic features, requires no account or subscription, and lets you use your own AI. The Pro plan is $49, though the brief doesn't clarify if that's a one-time fee or a subscription — worth confirming before you commit.
Proto-Mind
Proto-Mind (site) is a floating AI workspace for Mac, currently available as a free public beta. It suits Mac users who want a lightweight, always-accessible AI workspace without paying anything right now. There's no pricing page at all yet, so it's free by default rather than by design — the limitation is that there's no stated plan for what happens after the beta ends, which means pricing or feature changes could land without warning.
Hark
Hark (site) is a personal AI built to handle life admin and tasks before you have to. It suits anyone who wants a genuinely full-featured free tier rather than a crippled trial — Hark's free plan has no ads and includes full features. If you need more usage, Hark Pro 2 is $20/month for 2x usage, and Hark Pro 3 is $100/month for 10x usage. The honest limitation is that "full features" on the free tier is still usage-capped, so heavy users will likely hit a ceiling and need to upgrade.
How to choose
If you're on a Mac and want to try something today at zero cost with no account needed, start with Naseem's free plan or Proto-Mind's beta. If you expect to use an assistant heavily and want room to scale into a paid tier without losing features, Hark's free-to-paid structure is the clearest path. If what drew you to Ghost Core was the on-device, hardware-based privacy model specifically, none of these three alternatives replicate that — they're all software running on a Mac you already own, not a dedicated device, so weigh that trade-off before switching.
FAQ
Is Ghost Core available for free or on a trial? No — Ghost Core has no free tier and is sold only as a $3,499 one-time hardware purchase.
Which alternative is closest to fully free? Proto-Mind is currently a free public beta with no pricing stated at all, and Hark's free tier includes full features with no ads.
Do any of these alternatives run entirely on-device like Ghost Core? The brief doesn't state that Naseem, Proto-Mind, or Hark run entirely on-device — they're Mac software products, not dedicated hardware.