Developer releases self-hosted Claude AI chat tool with WhatsApp and budget controls
A developer has built and released Telechat, an open-source, self-hosted alternative to Anthropic's Claude Code Channels, citing limitations around platform support, privacy, and cost. Unlike Channels, which only supports Telegram and Discord, Telechat works across WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, and a web interface from a single self-hosted process. The tool routes messages to the least expensive Claude model capable of handling each query, which the developer claims cuts costs by around 60% compared to always using Sonnet. It also includes per-user daily and monthly budget caps, making it practical for teams sharing API access. An additional feature called Desktop Bridge sends mobile push notifications when Claude attempts potentially destructive actions on a desktop, allowing users to approve or deny them remotely.
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