AnythingLLM Mobile vs Layla and Layla Cloud: local and cloud AI in one free app

Layla is a well-known AI companion app for phones, and it comes in two versions. Layla is the premium app, $19.99 on Google Play, which runs models offline on your phone with lots of technical settings. Layla (Cloud) is a separate app, free to install with in-app purchases, that runs on Layla's own cloud model. In its own words, the cloud app "focuses on the character experience for less technical users."

Both are closed source, and both are built around AI characters and companionship.

AnythingLLM Mobile takes a different approach. Local and cloud are not two apps. It is one free, open-source app that runs models on your phone, connects to the cloud provider of your choice or your own server, and is built to help you get things done.

Layla, Layla Cloud, and AnythingLLM Mobile

Local and cloud, in one app

With Layla you choose up front: buy the offline app, or install the cloud app. They are different products with different features, and your conversations do not move between them.

AnythingLLM Mobile gives you all of these in one app, and you can switch between them whenever you want:

• On your phone. Run GGUF models offline from a curated list built for phones, including Qwen 3.5, Gemma 4, Llama 3.2, Granite, and LFM 2.5, or import any GGUF from Hugging Face.
• Any cloud provider. Bring your own key for OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, OpenRouter, DeepSeek, xAI, Together, Fireworks, and more. You pay the provider directly for what you use, and you choose whose data terms you are agreeing to.
• Your own server. Point it at Ollama, LM Studio, LocalAI, LiteLLM, or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, whether that is a PC at home or a server at work. Nothing has to touch a third-party cloud.
• Your desktop. Scan a QR code in AnythingLLM Desktop or your self-hosted AnythingLLM server, and your phone brings over your workspaces, threads, and chat history. Chats in those workspaces run against your desktop's models and full document library, and come back with citations.

Layla Cloud runs on Layla's model, on Layla's servers. AnythingLLM never sits in the middle of your cloud conversations. It talks straight to the provider you picked.

Free and open source

The offline Layla app costs $19.99 and sells add-ons. Layla Cloud is free to install and sells in-app purchases. Neither app's code is public.

AnythingLLM Mobile costs nothing. There are no in-app purchases, no subscription, and no account. The code is GPL-3.0, so anyone can read exactly what the app does with your data.

Built for getting things done

Layla's features are built around characters. AnythingLLM Mobile's are built around your day:

• Your documents. PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, CSV, Markdown, and more, embedded on your phone so you can ask about them offline.
• The web. Search with no API key, and read web pages and YouTube transcripts from a link.
• Files. Create PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoint decks, and text files.
• Your schedule. Reminders, alarms, timers, and calendar events. Draft emails and texts.
• Background work. Scheduled jobs run on a timer and notify you when they finish.
• Memory you control, globally or per workspace.
• Android integration. Make it your default assistant, use "Ask with AnythingLLM" from the text selection menu, or share content into it.

Lighter on your phone

Layla's offline app defaults to a model of around 4 GB and recommends 8 GB of RAM or more. AnythingLLM Mobile's starting models are much smaller: Qwen 3.5 0.8B is about 800 MB, and the 2B is about 2 GB. Every model shows a fit badge so you know before downloading whether your phone can run it comfortably. And when a task needs something bigger, switch to a cloud or desktop model instead of buying a second app.

Where Layla is ahead

If you want AI characters with voices, avatars, generated selfies, and deep roleplay, Layla is built for that and AnythingLLM is not. Layla is also available on iOS.

Try it

Get AnythingLLM Mobile free from Google Play. Pick a model that fits your phone, connect a cloud provider or your own server if you want one, and ask it something.