# Apertus Chat (Public AI)

Chat directly on Apertus 1.5, the fully open Swiss model from ETH, EPFL and CSCS (released 2026-07-24). Apertus Chat (Public AI) is free, with no paid plan attached, at chat.publicai.co.

## Facts

- **Pricing tier:** Free
- **Works on:** Web
- **Works in browser:** Yes

## Capabilities

- Chat directly on Apertus 1.5, the fully open Swiss model from ETH, EPFL and CSCS (released 2026-07-24)
- publicai.co/chat serves the 8B model with no login; a free account unlocks the 70B model with thinking mode
- Hosted under Swiss jurisdiction

## FAQ

### What is Apertus Chat (Public AI)?

Apertus Chat (Public AI) is listed under General Purpose Chatbots, in the AI Chat & Assistants category on Flocci AI Tools. Chat directly on Apertus 1.5, the fully open Swiss model from ETH, EPFL and CSCS (released 2026-07-24). It is free, with no paid plan attached, and it lives at chat.publicai.co.

### Is Apertus Chat (Public AI) free?

Apertus Chat (Public AI) is listed as fully free — there is no paid tier attached to it in the catalog. That makes it one of the 397 entries on Flocci AI Tools with no upgrade path built in.

### Can I use Apertus Chat (Public AI) in a browser, or is there an app?

Apertus Chat (Public AI) works in a normal browser tab with no install. It is available on the web.

### What can Apertus Chat (Public AI) do?

Apertus Chat (Public AI) does 3 things the catalog singles out: Chat directly on apertus 1.5, the fully open swiss model from eth, epfl and cscs (released 2026-07-24); publicai.co/chat serves the 8b model with no login; a free account unlocks the 70b model with thinking mode; hosted under swiss jurisdiction.

### What is the best free alternative to Apertus Chat (Public AI)?

Falcon LLM Chat (TII) is the closest free alternative: it sits in the same General Purpose Chatbots sub-category and is free. Google AI Mode, HuggingChat and Jais Chat also start free. The full list is on the alternatives page.

## Related

- [Apertus Chat (Public AI) alternatives](https://aitools.flocci.in/alternatives/apertus-chat-public-ai)
- [General Purpose Chatbots](https://aitools.flocci.in/category/ai-chat-assistants/general-purpose-chatbots)
- [Best free AI chatbots](https://aitools.flocci.in/best/best-general-purpose-chatbots)
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Source: Flocci AI Tools — https://aitools.flocci.in/tool/apertus-chat-public-ai

Facts last verified: October 2026