★ 49k
September 2026
MIT
Local AI
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 23 Aug 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 30 Aug 2026We read the project's own documentation and found no sign that development has stopped.
Where this sits among the 48 tools we list in Local AI
- No API key required46 of 48
- Keeps your data on your own machine35 of 48
- Commercial use confirmed as allowed32 of 48
- Requires terminal commands28 that do not →
Only 23 of the 48 meet all of the conditions above.
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
What it does
A drop-in OpenAI-compatible API that runs models locally — chat, images and audio without sending data out.
Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.
Screenshots & visuals
Before you start
- Setup difficultyEasy to start
- Command lineRequired
- API keyNot required
- Sends data onlineNo
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
LocalAI FAQ
- Is LocalAI free?
- Yes. It runs on your own machine, so there is no usage-based cost either.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use LocalAI?
- It needs the command line. If you are not comfortable typing commands, expect to get stuck during setup.
- Does LocalAI work on a phone?
- No. It needs a computer.
- Can I use LocalAI commercially?
- The licence is MIT, which permits commercial use. Conditions such as keeping the copyright notice still apply, so read the licence text before shipping it inside something.
How it compares
The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.
| Tool | Command line | API key | Sends data out | Phone | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LocalAI (this page) | Required | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
| Ollama | Required | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
| Open WebUI | Required | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
| llama.cpp | Required | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.