Bonfire Terminal vs Graphite
Graphite is a cloud-hosted AI coding assistant backed by a $52M Series B, freemium with per-user pricing, using OpenAI and Anthropic models plus Slack, with a policy of not training on code. Bonfire Terminal is a sovereign on-device agent instead, keeping code local, running your own LLM key at cost, and licensing once perpetually.
Bonfire Terminal vs Graphite: the 16-factor comparison
| Rating factor | Graphite | Bonfire Terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI Coding Assistant | AI Terminal / Local Agent |
| Popularity | Series B $52M | Growing · indie |
| Hosting architecture | Cloud-Hosted | On-Device Local |
| Licensing model | Freemium | One-Time Perpetual |
| Data / training policy | Does not train on code | Fully local — nothing leaves device |
| Offline capability | No | Yes |
| Pricing tier range | $0 + per-user | One-time license |
| Execution unit cost | Subscription | Unlimited Local Compute |
| API-key markup | N/A | No — BYO key at cost |
| Supported LLM providers | OpenAI;Anthropic | OpenAI; Anthropic; Google; Local; Any |
| Auth / permission types | OAuth;SSO | API Key; Local/None |
| Phone / messaging bridges | Slack | Telegram; WhatsApp |
| Speech recognition engine | None | Whisper (local) |
| Local media processing | No | Yes |
| Sovereign score | 46 / 100 | 93 / 100 |
The sovereignty gap
Where Graphite 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 Graphite if…
Choose Graphite if you want AI-assisted code review and stacked-PR workflows with OpenAI and Anthropic models, Slack, and a no-training-on-code policy in the cloud.
Choose Bonfire Terminal if…
Choose Bonfire Terminal if you want a local coding agent that keeps your code on-device, with your own model key at cost and a perpetual license.
Bonfire Terminal vs Graphite: FAQ
Is Graphite private?
Graphite is cloud-hosted and states it does not train on code, but your code is still transmitted to its servers for review workflows. Bonfire Terminal processes on your device, so your code never leaves your machine at all.
Is Bonfire Terminal cheaper than Graphite?
Graphite is freemium with recurring per-user pricing above the free tier. Bonfire Terminal is a one-time perpetual license, and you pay OpenAI or Anthropic directly at cost with no markup, avoiding per-seat fees over the life of the tool.
Can Bonfire Terminal replace Graphite?
Partly. Bonfire Terminal offers a local coding-capable agent and terminal with your own model. Graphite's strength is code review and stacked pull-request workflows integrated with your git host; Bonfire trades that specialized review flow for full local privacy.
What can Bonfire Terminal do that Graphite can't?
Bonfire Terminal runs offline on-device, transcribes with local Whisper, processes media locally, bridges to Telegram and WhatsApp, and uses any LLM key at cost. Graphite is cloud-only with no offline mode, local speech engine, or bring-your-own-key at cost.
How do I switch from Graphite to Bonfire Terminal?
Install Bonfire Terminal, add your OpenAI or Anthropic key, and point it at your local repositories. Keep Graphite for hosted code review if you value it, and use Bonfire for private coding and agent tasks that run on your device.
Does Bonfire Terminal work offline vs Graphite?
Yes for local features. Bonfire Terminal's on-device speech and media processing run without internet, and only external model calls need connectivity. Graphite is cloud-hosted with no offline capability, requiring a connection to function.