Page Assist vs Ollama Client
Page Assist and Ollama Client are both browser extensions for chatting with Ollama and other local models — no server required. They overlap on the core idea (private, in-browser AI) and differ mostly in breadth of grounding and provider support. This page sticks to what each does; both are good tools.
Who each is for
Section titled “Who each is for”- Page Assist — you want a lightweight in-browser UI for Ollama and local models with page-chat.
- Ollama Client — you want the same in-browser convenience plus deeper grounding (files/RAG, tabs, web search, tools) and a wider set of local providers, with an explicitly no-telemetry design.
Feature comparison
Section titled “Feature comparison”| Page Assist | Ollama Client | |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Browser extension | Browser extension (Chrome, Firefox) |
| Providers | Ollama + OpenAI-compatible | Ollama, LM Studio, llama.cpp, vLLM, LocalAI, KoboldCPP, OpenAI-compatible |
| Page / tab context | Page chat | Selection, page, and multi-tab context |
| Local RAG over files | Yes | Yes — hybrid keyword + vector search |
| Web search | Yes | Yes (SearXNG, Brave, Tavily) |
| Tool calling | Varies | Yes (for tool-capable models) |
| Text-selection actions | — | Summarize, translate, and custom actions on selected text |
| Telemetry | — | None |
Privacy
Section titled “Privacy”Both run inference on your local provider and avoid the cloud by default. Ollama Client adds no analytics and has no backend; prompts go only to the endpoint you configure and history stays in browser storage.
When to choose each
Section titled “When to choose each”- Choose Page Assist for a focused, lightweight Ollama-in-browser experience.
- Choose Ollama Client when you want richer grounding (files, tabs, web, tools), more local providers, and a no-telemetry stance in one extension.
How is Ollama Client different from Page Assist?
Section titled “How is Ollama Client different from Page Assist?”Both are browser extensions for chatting with Ollama and local models. Ollama Client focuses on deep grounding — page and tab context, uploaded-file RAG, web search, and tool calling — across many providers, with a no-telemetry, local-first design.
Do both extensions work with Ollama?
Section titled “Do both extensions work with Ollama?”Yes. Both connect to a local Ollama server. Ollama Client also supports LM Studio, llama.cpp, vLLM, LocalAI, KoboldCPP, and other OpenAI-compatible endpoints.
Can these extensions chat with the current web page?
Section titled “Can these extensions chat with the current web page?”Yes — reading page content is a shared strength. Ollama Client extends this with tab context, text selection actions, uploaded-file RAG, and optional provider-backed web search.