Local by default
Cards, lorebooks, and settings live in your browser's own storage. There's no CharacterVault server holding a copy.
New in 1.8.4
OpenRouter host and privacy controls, and lorebook merge
Write characters worth keeping.
CharacterVault is a free, open-source studio for SillyTavern character cards and lorebooks. Edit every field, see how your lore connects, and bring in an AI co-writer when you want one. It all runs in your browser.
- Free, no sign-up
- Nothing to install
- Cards stay on your device
Opens and saves
- SillyTavern
- Card V2 and V3
- PNG and JSON
- World Info lorebooks
AI, if you want it
- OpenRouter
- NanoGPT
- LM Studio
- Any OpenAI-compatible API
The editor
Every field, with room to write.
Description, personality, scenario, greetings, example dialogue, system prompt, creator notes. Each one gets a real editor instead of a cramped text box.
- Every V2 and V3 field, alternate greetings included
- Colors for "dialogue", *actions*, and {{macros}}, plus spellcheck
- Token estimates on every card, so you know what fits
- Creator Notes with a safe, live HTML preview
Lorebooks
See how your lore connects.
Lorebooks get their own library beside your characters. Link one book to as many characters as you like, then open the recursion map to see which entries trigger which, and fix the keys right there.
- Standalone books, linked to many characters and kept in sync
- A map of every unlock path in the book
- Every SillyTavern World Info field survives import and export
AI, optional
A co-writer on call. Never in the way.
Connect OpenRouter, NanoGPT, a local model in LM Studio, or any OpenAI-compatible API. Your prompts go straight from your browser to that provider, and nothing on your card changes until you accept it.
Highlight. Instruct. Accept.
Select any passage and tell the AI toolbar what you want. The rewrite previews in place, and you decide whether it stays.
- Enhance, rephrase, shorten, lengthen, or fix
- Add your own buttons with your own prompts
- Orion, the built-in chat, for brainstorming beside the editor
Describe the edit. The Agent makes it.
The Agent reads your open card or lorebook, then fills, rewrites, and trims it while you watch each step. Turn on review to approve every change in a diff first.
- Edits only the text that needs to change
- Search, replace, and audit across a whole card or book
- @-mention a field or entry to point it at the right spot
You
Rekey the lorebook entries to proper nouns and trim anything empty.
Agent
Catalogs read
1.2k tok live
Thinking…
Send what matters, not everything.
Every card section and every lorebook entry has a toggle. The AI sees what you pick and nothing else, so prompts stay lean and answers stay on target.
- Per-section toggles with token estimates
- Hide single lorebook entries from context
- Pin your own notes to each character
In the lorebook, per entry
The Meridian Compact
AI Context
3
Usage
696 / 8,192
Selected
Live demo. Click a section to toggle it.
From one sentence to a full card.
Describe a character, or pick traits from the tag library, and the Creation Studio drafts every field in front of you. Reroll what you don't like, then save it to your library.
- Start from a concept or from guided tags
- Edit the prompt behind each field
- Nothing saves until you approve it
Your work stays yours
No account. No cloud. No lost drafts.
Your library stays on your device, and every change can be compared, undone, or backed up. Try the bold rewrite. You can always go back.
Snapshots
Save a point before the risky rewrite. Compare versions side by side, then restore the whole card or a single change.
One-file backups
Export your whole vault as a single ZIP. Import it to restore your library in any browser.
Coming from SillyTavern?
The companion extension adds Export to CharacterVault to SillyTavern's export menu. One click and the card lands in your vault, image included.
Pricing
Free. Not a trial, not a tier.
Every feature is available to everyone. No account, no trial period, no paid plan waiting behind a button.
CharacterVault
$0
Everything below, for everyone
- No caps on characters or lorebooks
- The full V2 and V3 card editor
- Lorebook library and recursion map
- Snapshots and one-file backups
- Every AI tool, with your own provider
So what's the catch?
- It's open source.
- CharacterVault is licensed under GPL-3.0. Read the code, run your own copy, or send in a fix.
- There's no server bill.
- Your library lives in your browser, so there's no database to pay for. That's how it stays free.
- AI is bring your own.
- Use a key from the provider you already like and pay them directly, or run a local model at no cost. There's no markup because there's no middleman.
- It runs on goodwill.
- If CharacterVault saves you time, you can buy me a coffee on Ko-fi. Totally optional, and nothing is locked behind it.
Is CharacterVault really free?
Yes. Every feature is free to use, with no account, trial, or paid tier. The project is open source under GPL-3.0.
Do I need an AI subscription?
No. The editor, lorebooks, import, export, snapshots, and backups all work without AI. If you want AI help, connect any OpenAI-compatible provider, including a free local model through LM Studio.
Where are my cards stored?
In your browser's storage, on your device. CharacterVault has no server that stores cards. Export a card or make a vault backup whenever you want a copy somewhere else.
Will my SillyTavern cards work?
Yes. Import PNG or JSON cards (V2 and V3) and standalone lorebook JSON, edit them, and export them back. The companion extension can also send cards straight from SillyTavern.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes. The app runs in mobile browsers, with layouts made for small screens. A bigger screen is more comfortable for long writing sessions.
What happens if I clear my browser data?
Clearing site data removes your local library, as it would for any app that stores data in the browser. Use Backup in the library header to save a ZIP of your cards, lorebooks, and settings, and import it to restore.
Can I run my own copy?
Yes. Clone the GitHub repo, run npm install and npm run dev, and it runs on your machine.
Your next character starts here.
Open CharacterVault in your browser. No account, no download, no cost.