Elephas

Elephas is a private AI assistant designed for Mac that enables professionals to index, search, and interact with local documents and notes. The application provides localized document indexing, automatic redaction of 28 types of sensitive data before any cloud processing, and an optional offline mode that runs entirely on-device. It is aimed at professionals who handle confidential materials such as client files, contracts, and research notes.

• 100% local indexing of documents and notes directly on the user's Mac
• Automatic redaction of 28 types of sensitive data before any cloud call is made
• Optional offline mode that operates entirely on-device with zero data retention
• Super Brain workspaces to create focused project or client repositories
• Support for cloud AI providers including GPT-5, Claude, and Gemini when chosen
• Grounded answers and summaries derived from user files with source citations
• Cross-application and format compatibility including PDFs, Word, Excel, Apple Notes, Notion, Obsidian, Zoom transcripts, and Markdown

Pros

• Strong focus on confidentiality, making it suitable for client engagements under NDA and sensitive legal or financial work
• Flexible deployment choices allowing users to switch between local-only offline processing and cloud AI
• Persistent knowledge bases via Super Brains rather than requiring file uploads per chat session
• Built-in visibility tools that show redaction activity and specific entity types removed from text

Cons

• Requires macOS 13 or higher, limiting use to supported Mac environments
• Advanced redaction configuration control and full redaction inspectors are restricted to the highest tier
• Maximum usage limits apply under a Fair Usage Policy on the Pro+ plan
• iOS and iPad access requires at least the Professional tier

Elephas fits consultants, lawyers, accountants, researchers, and financial advisors who need to query confidential documents, client files, and contracts without exposing data to third-party AI models. It is also suited for individual knowledge workers and marketers managing large libraries of personal or professional research. It is a poor fit for teams or individuals exclusively using operating systems other than macOS, or those seeking an entirely open-source solution.

The product features a freemium model starting with a free trial that includes 7 days of Pro features upon downloading, requiring no credit card and macOS 13+. Paid plans are available on a monthly or yearly billing cycle with a roughly 17 percent savings on yearly rates. The Standard plan costs $19 per month for knowledge workers and researchers, covering basic document workflows, local-first indexing, and cloud AI with zero data retention. The Professional plan costs $39 per month, adding higher AI usage limits, deeper integrations, Super Brain access, iPhone and iPad app support, and basic redaction visibility. The Pro+ plan costs $49 per month and is built for client work under NDA, adding full redaction inspectors, advanced configuration control, optional offline AI workflows, maximum AI usage limits governed by a Fair Usage Policy granting 1000 credits per month, 1-on-1 onboarding,

Unlike generic general-purpose chatbots such as ChatGPT or Claude that process data per session and risk exposing sensitive details, Elephas performs local-first indexing so that file custody never changes hands. It actively redacts up to 28 types of sensitive data before sending requests to cloud models, whereas standard tools lack built-in personally identifiable information protection. Additionally, it offers a fully offline mode that functions completely on-device without an active internet connection.

Elephas works with PDFs, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, Apple Notes, Notion, Obsidian, Zoom transcripts, Markdown files, and iOS and iPadOS devices.

Elephas is worth trying for Mac users who regularly handle sensitive documents and want the benefits of AI without compromising confidentiality. The local indexing and automatic redaction features address major shadow AI risks for professionals under strict NDAs. Users who only need generic chat or non-Mac platforms should look elsewhere, and those requiring detailed redaction transparency will need to select the Pro+ tier.