OpenInstinct
Self-hostable open-source iMessage assistant, one-click deploy to Vercel
OpenInstinct is an AI agent you reach on iMessage. To start, self-host it. It messages you first rather than waiting to be asked.
At a glance
| Channels | |
|---|---|
| How you start | Self-host it |
| Who starts it | Messages you first |
| Is there an app | Unknown |
| Categories | Personal assistants |
| Can do | Nothing stated publicly |
| Connects to | None named publicly |
| Pricing | Open source |
| Number type | Unknown |
| Contact number | Unknown |
| First message, pre-written | None published |
| Runs on | Not disclosed |
| Browses with | Not disclosed |
| Number carrier | Unknown |
| Status | Live |
Who is behind it
| Company | Merit Systems |
|---|---|
| Founders | Unknown |
| Based in | Unknown |
| Funding | Unknown |
| Investors | Unknown |
| Traction | Unknown |
Data and policy
| Trains on your conversations | Policy not yet reviewed |
|---|---|
| Data of people who never signed up | Policy not yet reviewed |
| If you cancel | Policy not yet reviewed |
| Model providers named | Policy not yet reviewed |
| Jurisdiction | Policy not yet reviewed |
| Availability | Not stated |
We have not yet reviewed this product’s policy. Blank rows here mean we have not looked, not that the product is silent.
How it works
OpenInstinct describes itself as "Instinct but self-hostable, open source and supports every model." It is an iMessage assistant with a built-in password vault, deployable to Vercel in one click, with secrets encrypted before they reach the database.
It is the only self-hosted option in this set, which makes it the reference point for anyone weighing a managed iMessage API against running their own. The trade-offs are the usual ones: no vendor dependency and full data control, against operating the infrastructure yourself.
Source: github.com, checked 2026-09-06. How we source this.