Loris Comba
From today, Braus runs on free models. Connect your own OpenRouter account or a Google AI Studio key, pick a free model that supports tools, and Braus works in Pro Tools without a paid AI plan. That was the blocker we heard most after launch: plenty of people wanted to try Braus and stopped at the ChatGPT or Claude subscription. From today a paid AI plan is no longer required, and Braus itself is free to use.
What changed today
Braus runs on the model you bring, and from today two of the routes are free. The first is OpenRouter: connect your OpenRouter account from inside Braus, allow it when your browser asks, and Braus keeps the key in your Mac's keychain. Then choose one of OpenRouter's free models for the worker. The second is Google: create a key in Google AI Studio, which comes with free usage, and add it to Braus's Gemini connection. Braus keeps that key in your keychain too, and sends it only to Google.
The options that were already there have not moved. A ChatGPT or Claude plan still works the way it did at launch, and so do Gemini and Ollama on your Mac. Models provided by Forte will come later as well; today the model is the one you bring. The full list of connections lives in the models docs.
Set it up in a few minutes
- Download Braus from the Braus page or the download page.
- Sign in with your Forte account, or create one free.
- In Braus, connect OpenRouter and allow it in your browser, then pick a free model that supports tools. Or create a key in Google AI Studio and add it to Braus's Gemini connection.
- Open a Pro Tools session and ask for something in plain words.
Pick a model that can use tools
One thing decides whether a free model is useful here: tool use. Acting on a Mac app depends on the model being able to call tools, so a model that cannot will answer you in text but cannot touch Pro Tools. Pick a free model that supports tool use, and if a turn ran without tools, Braus shows it, so you are never guessing why nothing happened.
What to ask first
Start small and concrete, the way you would brief an assistant. "Name Audio 1-4 Kick, Snare, Bass, and Vox" renames the four tracks while you keep editing. "Import the stems in Desktop/Stems as new tracks" lands the files and checks they arrived. "Mute Kick and Snare, then rename Bass 2 to Synth Bass" is two changes in one request. "Which tracks are muted or record-armed?" gets you an answer instead of a scroll through the session.
Braus can also report the sample rate, bit depth and current selection, select tracks and ranges, and open, save and close sessions. It works in the background, your mouse and keyboard stay yours, it reads the session back after each change to check it, and you can stop it at any time from the Braus app. The full picture is on the Braus for Pro Tools page.
What leaves your Mac
The same answer as at launch, stated plainly. Braus turns Pro Tools windows into text on your Mac, then sends that text and your request to the model you connected. Screen images stay on your Mac, and Braus's app knowledge and your conversations are stored on your Mac.
One thing changes with free models, and it is worth a minute of your attention: what you connect follows its provider's terms, and free tiers can have different data terms from paid ones. Check the terms of the model you pick. For sessions that must not leave the Mac at all, Ollama runs the model on the Mac itself.
Free, and it stays that way
Braus is free to use, and Braus will always have a free version. With a free model connected, running it can cost nothing. The one thing to know is that free models come with their providers' usage limits, so a heavy day can hit them; that ceiling belongs to the provider, not to Braus.
It is a beta: tell us what breaks
Braus is in beta, and the fastest way to make it better is telling us what broke, in the Braus Discord. The docs and the wider product live at braus.ai. For teams, the contact is sales@forte-ai.com.
FAQ
Do I need a ChatGPT or Claude subscription to use Braus?
No, not anymore. A paid plan was the practical route at launch; from today Braus also runs on free models through your own OpenRouter account, on your own Google AI Studio key with its free usage, and on Gemini and Ollama on your Mac. A ChatGPT or Claude plan remains one of the options.
Is Braus free?
Yes. Braus is free to use, and Braus will always have a free version. With a free model connected, running it can cost nothing.
How do I use Braus with free models?
Connect your OpenRouter account from inside Braus and pick one of its free models that supports tools, or create a key in Google AI Studio and add it to Braus's Gemini connection. Both keys are kept in your Mac's keychain.
Which free model should I pick?
One that supports tool use. Acting in Pro Tools depends on the model calling tools, so a text-only model can answer questions but cannot make changes. Braus shows when a turn ran without tools.
Are there limits on free models?
Yes, the provider's usage limits apply. They belong to OpenRouter or Google, not to Braus, and they are the trade for running at no cost.
What data leaves my Mac?
Braus turns Pro Tools windows into text on your Mac and sends that text, with your request, to the model you connected. Screen images stay on your Mac, and your conversations are stored on your Mac. What you connect follows its provider's terms, so check the terms of a free tier. Ollama keeps everything on the Mac.
What are the requirements?
macOS 15 or later, Pro Tools on the same Mac, and a Forte account, which is free to create.
Connect a free model and give Braus its first job in your session today, at forte-ai.com/braus.
