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Alternatives · AI Assistants

LocalAI alternatives

As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded LocalAI alternative is Open WebUI (3.2 GPA). It's also the best free one.

LocalAI compared with 5 alternatives: Ollama, LM Studio, Jan, Open WebUI and AnythingLLM.

LocalAI is free to use. All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.

Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
LocalAIThis toolFreeFreeWeb, macOS, Linux
OllamaFree plan · from $20/moYesmacOS, Windows, Linux
LM StudioFree plan · from $20/moYesmacOS, Windows, Linux
JanFreeFreemacOS, Windows, Linux
Open WebUIFree planYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux
AnythingLLMFree plan · from $50/moYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, Android

Price against what you get

LocalAI has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 4 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.

LM Studio, Jan and AnythingLLM score higher without starting lower.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$2$5$10$20$50More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessLocalAIOllamaLM StudioJanAnythingLLM

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

  • The best score at each price
  • Has a free plan
  • No free plan
The full chart of AI assistants, and the best at every price

How each one differs from LocalAI

  1. Ollama

    Run open AI models on your computer or in Ollama's cloud

    • Ollama starts at $20 per month (Pro), or $16.67 per month billed annually.
    • Ollama also lists a Windows app.
    • Ollama lists no web app, which LocalAI has.
    • Ollama does not cover text to speech, which LocalAI does.

    Suits: Developers who want open models behind a local API

    Ollama vs LocalAIOllama pricing and details

  2. LM Studio

    Desktop app for running open AI models on your own computer

    • LM Studio starts at $20 per month (Bionic+, for cloud models).
    • LM Studio also lists a Windows app.
    • LM Studio lists no web app, which LocalAI has.
    • LM Studio does not cover text to speech, which LocalAI does.

    Suits: Running open models privately on a Mac, Windows or Linux computer

    LM Studio vs LocalAILM Studio pricing and details

  3. Jan

    Open-source desktop app for running local and cloud AI models

    • Jan is free.
    • Jan also lists a Windows app.
    • Jan lists no web app, which LocalAI has.
    • Jan also covers AI search.
    • Jan does not cover AI agents and text to speech, which LocalAI does.

    Suits: Running open models offline on your own computer

    Jan vs LocalAIJan pricing and details

  4. Open WebUI

    Self-hosted chat interface for local and cloud AI models

    • Open WebUI also lists a Windows app.
    • Open WebUI also covers AI search.
    • Open WebUI does not cover text to speech, which LocalAI does.

    Suits: Teams that want a chat interface running on their own infrastructure

    Open WebUI vs LocalAIOpen WebUI pricing and details

  5. AnythingLLM

    Open-source AI app for documents, agents and local models

    • AnythingLLM starts at $50 per month (Basic hosted cloud instance).
    • AnythingLLM also lists Windows and Android apps.
    • AnythingLLM also covers meeting notes.
    • AnythingLLM does not cover text to speech, which LocalAI does.

    Suits: Chatting with private documents without sending them to a cloud service

    AnythingLLM vs LocalAIAnythingLLM pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in LocalAI

  • It is a runtime to install and operate yourself, through containers, a macOS app, Linux binaries or Kubernetes. Windows is not listed on the install page.
  • You choose and download the models. The gallery lists 1,255 models, and larger ones need more memory or a GPU for good speed.
  • No paid plan or hosted service is described on the pages read. The homepage offers a business contact link.
  • Documentation pages have moved between addresses, for example from /installation/ to /docs/installation/.
LocalAI pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to LocalAI?

The alternatives to LocalAI in this directory are Ollama, LM Studio, Jan, Open WebUI and AnythingLLM. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with LocalAI.

Is there a free alternative to LocalAI?

Yes. Jan is free to use. Ollama, LM Studio, Open WebUI and AnythingLLM have a free plan alongside paid ones.

Which LocalAI alternatives work on Windows?

The LocalAI listing does not include a Windows app. Ollama, LM Studio, Jan, Open WebUI and AnythingLLM list one.

Which LocalAI alternatives work on Android?

The LocalAI listing does not include an Android app. AnythingLLM lists one.

When were these prices checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.

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