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Open WebUI

Free
API Available

The most popular open-source web UI for Ollama and OpenAI-compatible models

Open WebUI (Timothy Jaeryang Baek) · Developer Tools

Launched Dec 2023

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Quick Answer

Open WebUI is the most popular open-source web ui for ollama and openai-compatible models, made by Open WebUI (Timothy Jaeryang Baek). It is free and open source. Key uses: Local AI chat interface, Self-hosted ChatGPT replacement, RAG over personal documents.

Last updated:

Users

50K+ GitHub stars; one of the fastest-growing open-source AI projects of 2024-2025

What is Open WebUI?

Open WebUI (formerly Ollama WebUI) is an extensible, self-hosted web interface for running large language models locally through Ollama or any OpenAI-compatible API. It provides a feature-rich chat experience with conversation history, model management, RAG (document upload), web search, image generation, and voice input — all in a polished interface that rivals ChatGPT. With 50K+ GitHub stars it is the most widely adopted local AI front-end.

What's new in Open WebUI in 2026?

Open WebUI 0.5.x (2025): Pipelines framework for custom tool integration; 50K+ GitHub stars; native web search; multi-model conversations; Admin panel; LDAP/SSO; memory feature; Open WebUI Marketplace for community functions

How much does Open WebUI cost?

Free / Open-Source

$0

  • Full web UI
  • Ollama + OpenAI integration
  • RAG pipeline
  • Multi-user admin
  • MIT license

What can you do with Open WebUI?

  • Local AI chat interface
  • Self-hosted ChatGPT replacement
  • RAG over personal documents
  • Team AI deployment
  • Multi-model switching

Pros

  • Polished ChatGPT-like UI
  • Native Ollama integration
  • Built-in RAG and document upload
  • Voice input/output
  • Multi-user with admin controls
  • Highly extensible with plugins

Cons

  • Self-hosting required (Docker)
  • Some advanced features need setup
  • Resource-heavy with many users

What are the best alternatives to Open WebUI?

Ollama

Infrastructure

LM Studio

Developer Tools

Jan

Developer Tools

Compare Open WebUI Head-to-Head

Open WebUI vs Ollama
Open WebUI vs LM Studio
Open WebUI vs Jan

Frequently Asked Questions about Open WebUI

How much does Open WebUI cost?

Open WebUI pricing: Free / Open-Source at $0.

Is Open WebUI free?

Yes, Open WebUI is fully free and open source.

What is Open WebUI used for?

Open WebUI is used for: Local AI chat interface, Self-hosted ChatGPT replacement, RAG over personal documents, Team AI deployment, Multi-model switching.

What are the best alternatives to Open WebUI?

Top alternatives to Open WebUI include Ollama, LM Studio, Jan.

What platforms does Open WebUI support?

Open WebUI is available on: Web (self-hosted), Docker, Kubernetes, Raspberry Pi.

Details

Vendor

Open WebUI (Timothy Jaeryang Baek)

Category

Developer Tools

Pricing Model

Free

Launched

Dec 2023

Underlying Models

Any Ollama model (Llama, Mistral, Qwen, Gemma, etc.)OpenAI APIAnthropic API (via proxy)

Platforms

Web (self-hosted)DockerKubernetesRaspberry Pi

Integrations

OllamaOpenAI APILiteLLMPipelines (custom functions)Stable Diffusion (image gen)Whisper (STT)ElevenLabs (TTS)

Ideal For

  • Developers running Ollama
  • Teams wanting self-hosted ChatGPT
  • Privacy-conscious organisations
  • Homelab enthusiasts
  • Enterprises deploying local AI

Tags

Open-SourceLocal AIOllamaSelf-HostedRAGWeb UIPrivacy