Proxed AI: Open Source Alternative to Custom proxy

Proxed AI is an open-source alternative to Custom proxy, listed in our Developer Tools directory. Proxed AI is a secure proxy backend for iOS apps — an open-source alternative to rolling your own API gateway when you need to protect AI keys on mobile clients.

Compare Proxed AI with OpenAI direct and Cloudflare Workers before you choose your stack.

Key features

iOS-native security

• Apple DeviceCheck integration to bind API keys to verified devices
• Keys never ship in the app binary — proxied through your backend
• Rate limiting and abuse prevention per device
• Designed for App Store–compliant AI integrations

AI response control

• Visual schema builder to structure LLM outputs as typed JSON
• Validate and transform model responses before they reach the client
• Support for OpenAI and compatible providers through a single proxy
• Request logging and monitoring for production apps

Self-hosted deployment

• AGPL-3.0 — deploy on your own infrastructure
• Docker-based setup for quick production deployment
• Full control over data residency and retention policies
• No vendor lock-in for mobile AI backends

Proxed AI vs Custom proxy

	Proxed AI	Custom proxy
License	AGPL-3.0 (open source)	Proprietary
Models	Bring your own keys / local models	Vendor-locked models
Deployment	Self-hosted or cloud	SaaS only
Privacy	Data stays on your infrastructure	Processed by vendor
Cost	Free software + API usage	Subscription pricing

Choose Proxed AI if you want open-source code, self-hosting options, and full control over your data and deployment.

Choose Custom proxy if you prefer a managed proprietary product with vendor support and minimal setup.

Browse more open-source alternatives to Custom proxy, or explore other tools in Developer Tools.

At a glance

License	AGPL-3.0
Platform	iOS (DeviceCheck)
Self-hosted	Yes
Providers	OpenAI-compatible APIs
Use case	Mobile AI key protection

Getting started

Deploy the Proxed AI backend with Docker, configure your provider keys server-side, and point your iOS app to the proxy endpoint with DeviceCheck enabled.

FAQ

Is Proxed AI a free alternative to Custom proxy?

Yes. Proxed AI is open source under AGPL-3.0. You can self-host it at no software cost — you only pay for infrastructure or optional managed services.

How does Proxed AI compare to Custom proxy?

Proxed AI gives you source code access, self-hosting, and data ownership. Custom proxy is a proprietary product focused on managed convenience. See the comparison table above for a side-by-side breakdown.

Can I self-host Proxed AI?

Yes. Proxed AI supports self-hosted deployment, which is a core reason teams choose it over Custom proxy. Check the Getting started or Self-hosting section for install commands.

Is Proxed AI suitable for production?

Proxed AI is actively maintained with a strong open-source community. Many teams run it in production as a Developer Tools alternative to Custom proxy. Review the At a glance table for license and stack details.

What are alternatives to Proxed AI and Custom proxy?

Browse alternatives to Custom proxy for more open-source options, including tools compared to OpenAI direct. Explore the full Developer Tools category for related projects.