Show HN: ToolKuai – Privacy-first, 100% client-side media tools(toolkuai.com)
toolkuai.com
Show HN: ToolKuai – Privacy-first, 100% client-side media tools
https://toolkuai.com/
5 comments
Bookmarked and added to my arsenal of browser-based tools:
http://www.undr.com/understatement/2026/feb13_web_apps_work_...
This is so nice, and very generous.
I would like to be able to self host this, and, while this is absolutely not the best way for you to monetize this thing, if you put it up for some sub 100 dollar price, and I felt like I was getting a lifetime pass... I would do it.
I would like to be able to self host this, and, while this is absolutely not the best way for you to monetize this thing, if you put it up for some sub 100 dollar price, and I felt like I was getting a lifetime pass... I would do it.
I really appreciate the feedback! The idea of a self-hosted version is interesting and something I’ve seen requested a few times now. Right now, I'm focused on making the hosted version as seamless as possible, but I’m definitely taking notes on the pricing feedback.
Really appreciate the commitment to client-side processing. The ONNX + WASM fallback approach is smart for broader compatibility.
Curious about PDF tools - any plans to add PDF compression or manipulation? That's one area where most "free" tools are especially sketchy about data handling. Client-side PDF processing seems like a natural fit for this philosophy.
Also wondering: have you considered adding a visual indicator (like a network activity monitor) to reassure users that nothing is being uploaded? Could reinforce the privacy promise.
Curious about PDF tools - any plans to add PDF compression or manipulation? That's one area where most "free" tools are especially sketchy about data handling. Client-side PDF processing seems like a natural fit for this philosophy.
Also wondering: have you considered adding a visual indicator (like a network activity monitor) to reassure users that nothing is being uploaded? Could reinforce the privacy promise.
Thanks for the solid feedback!
I’m actually focusing on adding client-side PDF tools next for exactly the reasons you mentioned. Also, love the idea of a visual network monitor.
I’m actually focusing on adding client-side PDF tools next for exactly the reasons you mentioned. Also, love the idea of a visual network monitor.
I’m Linn, the creator of ToolKuai (https://toolkuai.com).
Like many of you, I’ve always been wary of "free" online file converters. Most of them are black boxes: you upload your private documents or images to a remote server, and you have no idea where that data ends up or how it’s being used to train models.
I wanted to build a suite of tools (Video/Image compressor, OCR, AI Background Remover) that runs entirely in the browser. No files ever leave your machine. The Tech Stack
To make this performant enough to rival server-side processing, I leaned heavily into modern web APIs:
- AI Background Removal: I'm using ONNX models (Xenova/modnet and ISNet) running locally via Transformers.js. The processing is 100% client-side, fallbacking to WASM when WebGPU isn't available.
- Frontend: Built with SvelteKit (Svelte 5) for its lean footprint and fast reactivity.
- Storage & Delivery: AI models are self-hosted on Cloudflare R2 to avoid massive bandwidth costs and ensure fast delivery.
Current Stats (13 days in):
The site is only 2 weeks old. Surprisingly, I’ve seen strong organic interest from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Average time on site is currently around 3.5 minutes, which suggests people are actually staying to process multiple files, confirming that the client-side speed is hitting the mark.
Future & Monetization
The tool is free. I’ve decided to avoid the "Pro/Premium" subscription model, as I believe these utility tools should be accessible. I'm exploring non-intrusive ads to cover the infrastructure costs (mostly R2 and Vercel).
I’d love to get some feedback from the HN community on:
- Performance on different hardware (especially the WebGPU-based video compressor).
- Privacy concerns or suggestions on how to further harden the "No-Server" promise.
- Any specific media tools you feel are currently lacking in the "client-side only" ecosystem.
Link: https://toolkuai.com
Thanks!