Free, open-source alternatives to ChatGPT
OpenAI's AI chat assistant. 5 apps you can run yourself instead of ChatGPT, sorted by how well they replace it. Each one is open source, so your data stays with you.
LibreChat
Enhanced ChatGPT-compatible AI chat interface supporting multiple AI providers, with multi-user auth, message search, and plugin support.
AnythingLLM
All-in-one desktop & Docker AI application with built-in RAG, AI agents, No-code agent builder, MCP compatibility, and more.
LobeHub
Modern design AI chat framework supporting multiple AI providers, one click install MCP Marketplace and Artifacts / Thinking.
Ollama
Get up and running with Llama 3.3, DeepSeek-R1, Phi-4, Gemma 3, and other large language models.
Side by side
| App | Stars | License | Activity | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open-WebUI | 155,162 | BSD-3-Clause | Docker, Python | |
| LibreChat | 45,599 | MIT | Node.js, Docker | |
| AnythingLLM | 66,995 | MIT | Node.js, Docker | |
| LobeHub | 83,185 | ⊘ Proprietary | Node.js, Docker | |
| Ollama | 182,934 | MIT | Docker, Python |
Why replace ChatGPT?
ChatGPT works, but your data lives in someone else's account, the price can change at any time, and features can disappear. An open-source app you run yourself is yours: you choose where it runs, who can see the data, and when to update.
Guides
Questions
What is the best free alternative to ChatGPT?
Open-WebUI is the closest open-source replacement for ChatGPT in our list. LibreChat and AnythingLLM are worth a look too, depending on what you need.
Can I self-host an alternative to ChatGPT?
Yes. All 5 apps on this page are open source and can run on your own server, usually with Docker, or on a managed host that installs them for you.