MinimalAIChat
A simple iOS Ai client for old devices with iOS 15
A lightweight iPhone chat app that connects to AI services like ChatGPT or Gemini, built to run smoothly on older iOS 15 devices.
MinimalAIChat is an iPhone app that lets people chat with AI services like ChatGPT or Google Gemini, built specifically to run well on older phones still using iOS 15. Many chat apps have grown heavy and slow on legacy devices, so this app is built to be lightweight, using native Apple tools instead of extra add-on libraries, so it stays fast even on aging hardware.
The app saves all conversation history directly on your phone, and it automatically clears out any empty or accidentally created chats the next time you open it. It is also built with privacy in mind: your messages travel straight from your phone to whichever AI provider you choose, with no in-between server collecting or logging your data.
To use it, you need your own API key from a supported provider such as OpenAI, Google Gemini, or OpenRouter, which lets you access many different AI models through one key. The README explains step by step how to get a key from each of these services, including their free tiers and costs. Your key is stored securely using Apple's built-in Keychain system rather than saved as plain text.
Because the app is not on the official App Store, installing it requires sideloading, either through a tool called TrollStore for a permanent install, or through AltStore or Sideloadly, which use your personal Apple ID and need occasional renewal. The developer notes that the app was built through close, ongoing collaboration with AI coding assistants, and welcomes contributions and bug reports from the community, with a Discord server available for support.
Where it fits
- Chat with ChatGPT, Gemini, or other AI models on an older iPhone still running iOS 15.
- Keep AI conversations private by connecting directly to the provider with no middleman server.
- Access many different AI models through a single OpenRouter API key on one app.