Yes, for now. Samsung’s Galaxy AI page says “Galaxy AI basic features provided by Samsung are free,” and adds that “future releases may include enhanced features or new services that are offered on a paid basis.” So the features on your phone today don’t need a subscription, but Samsung has left the door open to charging for new ones. Some of the AI on a Galaxy phone also comes from Google rather than Samsung, and that part follows Google’s own free and paid plans.
Why do people think Galaxy AI will cost money? #
When Galaxy AI launched with the Galaxy S24 in 2024, Samsung’s small print said its features would be free until the end of 2025. Many people read that as a subscription arriving in 2026. Samsung’s current wording is different: basic features stay free, and paid options may come later as enhanced features or new services.
That’s a common pattern in phone AI. Companies give away the features that ship with the phone and keep the option to charge for bigger, more expensive-to-run ones, especially those that run on their servers.
What’s free and what might be paid? #
| Category | Cost today | Who controls the price |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Galaxy AI features from Samsung | Free, per Samsung | Samsung |
| Future “enhanced features or new services” | May be paid | Samsung |
| Google features on Galaxy phones, like the Gemini app and Circle to Search | Free tier, with paid Google plans for more advanced use | |
| Third-party AI apps you install | Depends on the app | The app’s developer |
The practical upshot: nothing you use today is about to be switched off for non-payers, based on Samsung’s current wording. Watch for new features that arrive with a price or a trial, and check Samsung’s Galaxy AI page for the current terms.
Where does Galaxy AI process your data? #
Galaxy AI uses a mix of on-device and cloud processing, and Samsung lets you choose. Its Galaxy AI page says: “You can decide where your Galaxy AI data gets processed — either locally on device or out in the cloud,” and that you can switch between the two in your privacy settings. Samsung also says its Personal Data Engine processes your personal data, encrypts it and stores it in Knox Vault, the phone’s secure storage.
To keep AI processing on the phone:
- Open Settings and go to the Galaxy AI section. Menu names vary by One UI version, so search Settings for “Galaxy AI” if you don’t see it.
- Look for the option to process data only on the device and turn it on.
- Expect some features to stop working or work more simply, because they need the cloud.
Google’s features follow Google’s settings, not Samsung’s. If you use the Gemini app, your chats go to Google, and the Gemini Apps activity setting controls whether they’re kept and used to improve Google’s services. We cover both companies’ switches in phone AI privacy settings, and what Google’s AI does without a connection in does Gemini work offline.
Does Galaxy AI work offline? #
Only the parts that run on the device. With on-device processing selected and no connection, cloud features won’t respond. The quickest check is to switch on airplane mode and try the feature you care about.
Which Galaxy phones get Galaxy AI? #
Samsung brings Galaxy AI to its recent flagships first and extends some features to other models through software updates. The full set of features depends on the phone’s chip and memory, so an older or cheaper Galaxy may get only part of it. Samsung’s Galaxy AI page lists supported models.
A free AI chat that stays on your Galaxy #
Galaxy AI is built into Samsung’s apps. It doesn’t give you an open-ended AI chat that runs offline. For that, you need an app that downloads a model to the phone.
Personal LLM runs open models such as Qwen 3.5, Gemma 4 and Ministral 3 on your phone’s own chip, on any Android phone from Android 7 up, Galaxy phones included. There’s no subscription and no paywall on any feature: it’s ad-supported when you’re online, and a one-time purchase removes the ads. After a one-time model download, chats, photo questions and document questions stay on the phone and work in airplane mode.
One Galaxy-specific note. Personal LLM speeds up models on the GPU through OpenCL on Snapdragon chips with Adreno 700-series or newer graphics, and falls back to the CPU on other chips. Galaxy models sold with Snapdragon chips get the GPU boost; models with Samsung’s Exynos chips run on the CPU, which is slower, so pick a smaller model there. Each model card shows whether it fits your phone’s RAM before you download. The setup is in how to run a local LLM on Android.
| Galaxy AI | Personal LLM | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Basic features free; future features may be paid | Free, ad-supported; one-time Remove Ads |
| Where it runs | On-device or cloud, your choice | Always on the device |
| Open-ended chat | No, it’s built into Samsung’s apps | Yes |
| Works offline | On-device features only | Everything, after the model download |
| Phones | Recent Galaxy models | Any Android 7+ phone, plus iPhone |
If you’re weighing whether to pay for a cloud AI subscription instead, our look at whether ChatGPT Plus is worth it covers who gets their money’s worth.
Frequently asked questions #
Will Galaxy AI stop being free? #
Samsung currently says basic Galaxy AI features are free, while future releases may include enhanced features or new services offered on a paid basis. That suggests today’s features stay free and some new ones may cost money.
Is Galaxy AI the same as Gemini? #
No. Galaxy AI is Samsung’s set of AI features in its own apps. Gemini is Google’s assistant and model family, which also runs on Galaxy phones. Each company sets its own prices and privacy settings for its features.
Can I use Galaxy AI without sending data to the cloud? #
Yes, partly. Samsung lets you choose to process Galaxy AI data only on the device. Features that depend on cloud processing then stop working or work in a limited way.
Do older Galaxy phones get Galaxy AI? #
Some do, through software updates, but often not every feature. Support depends on the phone’s chip and memory. Check Samsung’s list of supported models for your phone.
Is there a free AI chatbot that works offline on a Samsung phone? #
Yes. Apps that run open models on the phone, such as Personal LLM, work offline on Galaxy phones after a one-time model download, with no subscription. Answers are less capable than big cloud chatbots on hard questions, but the chats stay on your phone.