The LibreChat Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about LibreChat in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
LibreChat
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source, self-hosted chat interface for many AI providers
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI assistants, read from LibreChat’s own pages.
Made by LibreChat (ClickHouse) · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from LibreChat’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on LibreChat’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 30 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade
LibreChat is a free, MIT-licensed web application that you host yourself to chat with models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Azure, AWS Bedrock and other providers in one interface. It adds agents with file handling and API actions, a sandboxed code interpreter, artifacts, MCP tool connections, web search, memory and multi-user sign-in with SSO. ClickHouse acquired the project in November 2025, and it remains MIT-licensed.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about LibreChat, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Fine if you run servers for a living, a wall if you don't.
- 1
Best for a self-hosted AI chat your team controls
LibreChat is a free, open-source chat interface you run on your own server, putting OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and other providers behind one login, with agents, a code interpreter, web search and SSO.
- 2
It is free
LibreChat has no paid plan at all. Free and open source under the MIT license, with no subscriptions. You host it yourself and add your own model API keys; a public demo is offered for evaluation only.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Many providers in one interface
Works with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Azure and AWS Bedrock out of the box, and custom endpoints add Ollama, Mistral AI, OpenRouter and other services.
- 5
Agents
Build custom assistants with tools, file handling, code execution and API actions without writing code.
- 6
Code Interpreter
Runs Python, JavaScript, Go, Rust and other languages in a sandbox. It is powered by an Apache 2.0 code-execution service that you deploy and point LibreChat at.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 30 of 57
That is against the other AI assistants we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
LibreChat is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
LibreChat at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- LibreChat (ClickHouse)
- Category
- AI Assistants
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a self-hosted AI chat your team controls
LibreChat is a free, open-source chat interface you run on your own server, putting OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and other providers behind one login, with agents, a code interpreter, web search and SSO. It only exists if you host it: there's no app to download and no paid plan that hosts it for you, and three of its features need extra services running alongside.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | It costs nothing. LibreChat is MIT-licensed, with no subscriptions and no paid tier at all. What you do pay for is the server you run it on and the model API keys you plug in. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The full application is free: agents, the code interpreter, MCP, web search and SSO, with nothing held back. The public demo is for evaluation only, mind, so using it properly means hosting it yourself. |
| Features | B | OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Azure and Bedrock out of the box, agents with tools, a sandboxed code interpreter, MCP, web search, artifacts and multi-user sign-in. The job's covered, though file chat, message search and the interpreter each need another service deployed. |
| Ease of use | D | You host it yourself, with Docker, npm or a Helm chart, then add your own API keys, and three of its features want extra services running alongside. Fine if you run servers for a living, a wall if you don't. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | It's a web app, so any browser reaches it once it's running, and it connects to a long list of providers and MCP servers. But you supply the server: the docs say there's no native Windows app or Linux AppImage, and no phone app is listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who LibreChat is for
- Fits if your team wants a chat interface it can host, audit and extend itself
- Works for teams that need SSO and a say over where chat data lives
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you've never run a server, because there's no hosted version to sign up for
- Not for you if you want an app to download, as it's a self-hosted web application with no phone app listed
- Tight if you wanted a quick setup, since file chat, message search and the code interpreter each need an extra service
- Watch out: the software is free, but you pay for the server and every model API key yourself
- Watch out: the public demo is for evaluation only and isn't meant for private data
Good to know
Good for
- Teams that want a self-hosted chat interface they can audit and extend
- Organizations that need SSO and control over where chat data lives
- Using API keys from several model providers in one place
Worth knowing
- It is a self-hosted web application: the docs say there is no native Windows app or Linux AppImage, and no hosted paid plan is offered.
- You run it yourself with Docker, npm or a Helm chart and supply your own model API keys.
- The public demo at chat.librechat.ai is for evaluation only and is not meant for private data.
- The code interpreter, message search and file chat rely on extra services you deploy: a code-execution service, Meilisearch and the RAG API.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
LibreChat is free to use.
LibreChat is MIT-licensed, with no subscriptions and no paid tier at all.
Free
$0
The full self-hosted application, including agents, the code interpreter, MCP, web search and SSO, under the MIT license.
The free plan
Free and open source under the MIT license, with no subscriptions. You host it yourself and add your own model API keys; a public demo is offered for evaluation only.
Read from librechat.ai on Oct 5, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Open-source, self-hosted chat interface for many AI providers. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, AI features, chat assistant, AI search, AI agents.
The job's covered, though file chat, message search and the interpreter each need another service deployed.
- Many providers in one interface
- Works with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Azure and AWS Bedrock out of the box, and custom endpoints add Ollama, Mistral AI, OpenRouter and other services.
- Agents
- Build custom assistants with tools, file handling, code execution and API actions without writing code.
- Code Interpreter
- Runs Python, JavaScript, Go, Rust and other languages in a sandbox. It is powered by an Apache 2.0 code-execution service that you deploy and point LibreChat at.
- MCP and web search
- Connects models to external tools through Model Context Protocol servers and gives any model live internet access with built-in search and reranking.
- Artifacts and chat tools
- Generates React components, HTML pages and Mermaid diagrams in chat, and supports forking, shareable links, temporary chats and importing conversations from ChatGPT.
- Multi-user authentication
- Sign-in through OAuth2, SAML or LDAP with two-factor authentication, plus an admin panel for users, roles and configuration, and moderation tools.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- OpenAI
- Anthropic
- Azure
- AWS Bedrock
- Ollama
- OpenRouter
- Meilisearch
LibreChat is made by LibreChat (ClickHouse).
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
30/57
Other AI assistants it is graded above
LibreChat's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 30 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 43 of 57) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
LibreChat has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 58 AI assistants we grade, cut by the letter each got. LibreChat’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 38 of 57
- AFree plan and trialAbove 43 of 57
- BFeaturesAbove 28 of 57
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 57
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 57
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 45 AI assistants. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. LibreChat is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
LibreChat is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could not
- An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- A search engine with an AI model behind it.
- It plugs into other products, OpenAI, Anthropic and Google among them.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. LibreChat’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Open WebUI, AnythingLLM, NextChat, Big-AGI and HuggingChat
The 5 tools LibreChat is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Open WebUI
Free plan
Self-hosted chat interface for local and cloud AI models.
- Only Open WebUI lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- LibreChat is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
AnythingLLM
Free plan · from $50/mo
Open-source AI app for documents, agents and local models.
- Only AnythingLLM lists macOS, Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- LibreChat also covers AI search.
- AnythingLLM also covers meeting notes.
- 2.8GPA
NextChat
Free plan
Lightweight open-source AI chat client you can self-deploy.
- Only NextChat lists macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS apps.
- LibreChat also covers AI search and AI agents.
- 2.4GPA
Big-AGI
Free plan · from $9/mo
Multi-model AI workspace that compares and merges answers.
- LibreChat also covers AI search and AI agents.
- 2.2GPA
HuggingChat
Free plan · from $9/mo
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is LibreChat free?
Yes. LibreChat is free to use.
How much does LibreChat cost?
LibreChat lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does LibreChat work on?
LibreChat is available on Web.
Does LibreChat have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. LibreChat is listed for Web.
Does LibreChat have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. LibreChat is listed for Web.
Is LibreChat open source?
Yes. LibreChat is open source, according to its own site.
What does LibreChat integrate with?
LibreChat's listing names OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Azure, AWS Bedrock, Ollama, OpenRouter and Meilisearch.
Who makes LibreChat?
LibreChat is made by LibreChat (ClickHouse).
What are the alternatives to LibreChat?
The closest alternatives to LibreChat in our directory are Open WebUI, AnythingLLM, NextChat, Big-AGI and HuggingChat.
How does LibreChat compare with other AI assistants?
LibreChat's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 30 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 8.
Is LibreChat good value for money?
ToolGPA grades LibreChat A for value for money. LibreChat has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of LibreChat?
LibreChat is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from LibreChat’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from LibreChat's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-08-01.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by LibreChat (ClickHouse). Prices change, so check librechat.ai before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- LibreChat, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/librechat
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "LibreChat: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/librechat
Know someone choosing between AI assistants?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/librechat/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI assistants after LibreChat, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Assistants Insider's GuideEvery one of the 58 AI assistants we grade, compared
- Gemini Insider's GuideGoogle's AI assistant, tied into Gmail, Docs and other Google apps3.8 GPA
- Chatbox Insider's GuideAI chat client for your own API keys or a hosted model plan3.4 GPA
- ChatGPT Insider's GuideOpenAI's general-purpose AI assistant for chat, images and voice3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what LibreChat’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. LibreChat is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by LibreChat (ClickHouse). Prices and plans change: check librechat.ai before you buy.