Bonfire Terminal vs Dust
Dust is a cloud-hosted AI-agent platform with 1.4k stars, freemium from $0 to $40 a month, spanning many providers with Slack support, though it applies an API-key markup. Bonfire Terminal is the sovereign counterpoint: a local-first agent that keeps data on-device and runs on your own key at cost with no markup, licensed once.
Bonfire Terminal vs Dust: the 16-factor comparison
| Rating factor | Dust | Bonfire Terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI Agent Framework | AI Terminal / Local Agent |
| Popularity | GitHub 1.4k stars | Growing · indie |
| Hosting architecture | Cloud-Hosted | On-Device Local |
| Licensing model | Freemium | One-Time Perpetual |
| Data / training policy | No training on user data | Fully local — nothing leaves device |
| Offline capability | No | Yes |
| Pricing tier range | $0-$40/mo | One-time license |
| Execution unit cost | Subscription | Unlimited Local Compute |
| API-key markup | Yes | No — BYO key at cost |
| Supported LLM providers | OpenAI;Anthropic;Google;Mistral;Any | OpenAI; Anthropic; Google; Local; Any |
| Auth / permission types | SSO;OAuth | API Key; Local/None |
| Phone / messaging bridges | Slack | Telegram; WhatsApp |
| Speech recognition engine | None | Whisper (local) |
| Local media processing | No | Yes |
| Sovereign score | 40 / 100 | 93 / 100 |
The sovereignty gap
Where Dust lands on each weighted pillar (its bar) — the red marker is Bonfire's score. Auto-derived from the 16 factors above.
Which should you choose?
Choose Dust if…
Choose Dust if you want a hosted, team-friendly AI-agent workspace with managed infrastructure and Slack integration.
Choose Bonfire Terminal if…
Choose Bonfire Terminal if you want a private, on-device AI agent with no key markup and no monthly fees.
Bonfire Terminal vs Dust: FAQ
Is Dust private?
Dust states it doesn't train on your data, but as a cloud-hosted platform your data resides on its servers. Bonfire Terminal is local-first by design, keeping every agent action and file on your device with no vendor cloud involved.
Is Bonfire Terminal cheaper than Dust?
Likely over time, and notably Dust applies an API-key markup on top of its $0 to $40 monthly tiers. Bonfire Terminal is a one-time perpetual license and runs your own key at cost with zero markup, keeping LLM spend at raw provider rates.
Can Bonfire Terminal replace Dust?
Largely, yes. Both are AI-agent tools; Bonfire Terminal provides that locally without a subscription or key markup. Teams reliant on Dust's managed collaboration and Slack workflows may weigh those hosted conveniences before switching.
What can Bonfire Terminal do that Dust can't?
Bonfire Terminal runs entirely on-device, transcribes speech with local Whisper, processes media locally, bridges to Telegram and WhatsApp, and adds no key markup. Dust, being cloud-hosted with a markup, can't match that local sovereignty or at-cost pricing.
How do I switch from Dust to Bonfire Terminal?
Document the agents and workflows you built in Dust, install Bonfire Terminal, connect your own LLM key, and rebuild them locally. Its Telegram and WhatsApp bridges cover messaging you handled through Dust's Slack integration.
Does Bonfire Terminal work offline vs Dust?
Dust is cloud-hosted with no offline capability and stops without a connection. Bonfire Terminal runs its agent and Whisper on-device; with a local model it works fully offline, needing internet only for optional cloud LLM calls.