[ Tinfoil Alternatives ]
Tinfoil runs open models inside secure enclaves, and you can check that with remote attestation. It is a serious privacy product. You do need an email, Google, or Apple account, though, and you can only pay by card. On the models both services offer, Tinfoil also charges more per token than SilentAPI.
SilentAPI vs Tinfoil
| Feature | SilentAPI | Tinfoil |
|---|---|---|
| Type | API and web chat | API and web chat |
| API | Yes. OpenAI, Anthropic, and Gemini request formats | Yes, OpenAI compatible |
| Models | 39 chat models, including GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Qwen, Kimi, GLM, MiniMax, and Mistral | Open models such as Kimi K3, GLM 5.3, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, Gemma 4 31B, GPT-OSS 120B, and Llama 3.3 70B |
| Other services | Image, video, speech, transcription, music, embeddings, OCR, vision, moderation, and IP and email lookups | Speech, transcription, embeddings, and document processing |
| Signup | Username and password. No email, no phone, no KYC | Email, Google, or Apple account |
| Payment | Crypto through NowPayments, or a direct Monero deposit. Payments are anonymized, so your wallet can not be tied to your account | Card through Stripe |
| Monero | Yes | No |
| Pricing | Prepaid credits (1 credit = $0.01). Pay per request, no subscription | Pay per token for the API. Private Chat costs $20 per month |
| Prompt logging | SilentAPI does not keep your prompts or outputs. Providers do not see your IP address, and they can not link a request to your account. Many models use zero data retention routes | Prompts run in secure enclaves (TEE) and are not kept after the response |
| Tor and I2P | Yes. Website and API on Tor and I2P | No |
Sources: Tinfoil model catalog and prices, Tinfoil pricing, Tinfoil privacy policy, Tinfoil inference API.
Choose SilentAPI if
- You want private AI chat and an API on one account
- You want to pay with Monero or anonymized crypto
- You use Tor or I2P
- You want image, speech, OCR, and lookup APIs on the same balance
Choose Tinfoil if
- You want inference you can verify in secure hardware (TEE)
- You are fine with card payments and an email account
Prices: SilentAPI vs Tinfoil
Prices per million tokens, input / output, on the models both services offer.
| Model | SilentAPI | Tinfoil |
|---|---|---|
| Kimi K3 | $3.75 / $18.80 | $4.00 / $20.00 |
| GLM 5.3 | $1.75 / $5.50 | $1.80 / $5.75 |
| GLM 5.3 Flash | $0.19 / $0.63 | $0.40 / $1.25 |
| DeepSeek V4.1 Flash | $0.30 / $1.20 | $0.65 / $1.45 |
Why people look for Tinfoil alternatives
- You need an email, Google, or Apple account to sign up
- Payment is by card only, with no crypto or Monero
- Shared models such as Kimi K3 and GLM 5.3 Flash cost more than on SilentAPI
- Only open models are available, not GPT, Claude, or Gemini
- There is no Tor or I2P address
The 7 best Tinfoil alternatives
1. SilentAPI
Best for private AI chat and API use with crypto, Monero, Tor, and I2P.
SilentAPI is the most complete private option on this list. One account gives you a private web chat and one API key for 39 chat models, plus image, video, speech, music, OCR, vision, and lookup APIs on the same balance. You sign up with a username only. Crypto payments are anonymized, so your wallet can not be tied to your account, and Monero works through direct deposits. The website, the chat, and the API all run on Tor and I2P. SilentAPI does not keep your prompts or outputs, and the model providers can not see who sent a request. A failed route falls back to the next compatible route.
2. OpenRouter
Best for the largest model catalog with card billing.
One API for hundreds of models. It needs an account and adds a 5.5% fee on card purchases and a 5% fee on crypto. No Monero.
3. NanoGPT
Best for the largest pay per use model list with no account.
Pay per use chat and API with 1,000+ models, no account, crypto and Monero payments, and an official Tor onion API.
4. PayPerQ
Best for pay per query with no signup and encrypted hardware chat.
Pay per query chat and API with Bitcoin, Lightning, Litecoin, and Monero payments, no signup, and chat in encrypted hardware (TEE).
5. Venice.ai
Best for a private consumer chat app with a free tier.
Private chat app and API. Chats stay in your browser, and requests are relayed without storage. It takes card, Bitcoin for plans, USDC wallet credits, and VVV staking, but not Monero.
6. Duck.ai
Best for free private chat in the browser.
Free private chat by DuckDuckGo. Your IP address is removed before prompts reach the model provider. No public API.
7. Proton Lumo
Best for Proton users who want encrypted chat history.
Private chat by Proton with a no logs policy and zero access encryption. Open source models in European data centers. No public API.
How to switch from Tinfoil to SilentAPI
SilentAPI uses the OpenAI request format, and it also accepts the Anthropic and Gemini formats. In most apps you change two values: the base URL and the API key. Then change the model names to the SilentAPI model IDs from the services page.
Create one key per project, and set a monthly budget and an expiry date on each key. Credits are prepaid, so a key can never spend more than your balance.
When Tinfoil is the better choice
Tinfoil runs every request in a secure enclave that you can verify with remote attestation. If you want hardware proof that nobody can read your prompts, and you are fine paying by card, it is a strong choice.
How we compared
We compared each service on the points that matter for private AI chat and API use: signup, payment, Monero, logging, Tor and I2P access, and model range. We read each service's own pricing, privacy, terms, and documentation pages on October 6, 2026, and we link those pages under each table.
Found a fact that is out of date? Contact us.
Questions
Is SilentAPI cheaper than Tinfoil?
On the models both services offer, yes. Kimi K3 costs $3.75 per million input tokens on SilentAPI and $4.00 on Tinfoil, and GLM 5.3 Flash costs $0.19 against $0.40. The price table above lists each shared model.
Is there a Tinfoil alternative that accepts Monero?
Yes. SilentAPI accepts Monero through direct deposits, and anonymized crypto through NowPayments. NanoGPT and PayPerQ also accept Monero.
Is there a Tinfoil alternative with GPT, Claude, and Gemini?
SilentAPI offers GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and other frontier models through one key, next to the same open models that Tinfoil runs.