Introduction
Open WebUI is the most popular self-hosted AI chat interface, providing a polished ChatGPT-like experience for any LLM. It works completely offline with local models via Ollama, or connects to cloud APIs like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.
Core capabilities:
- Multi-Model Chat — Switch between local (Ollama, llama.cpp) and cloud (OpenAI, Anthropic) models in the same conversation
- Built-in RAG — Upload documents (PDF, DOCX, TXT) and chat with them using integrated vector search. Supports 9 vector database backends
- Model Builder — Create custom Modelfiles from the web UI. Fine-tune system prompts, parameters, and personas
- Voice & Video — Built-in speech-to-text and text-to-speech. Have voice conversations with your AI
- Python Function Tools — Extend model capabilities with custom Python functions that run server-side
- Multi-User Support — Role-based access control, user management, and chat history per user
- Plugin System — Pipelines architecture for adding custom processing, filters, and integrations
- Offline-First — Runs entirely on your machine or server. No data leaves your infrastructure
130,000+ GitHub stars. 280+ million Docker pulls. The de facto standard for self-hosted AI chat.
FAQ
Q: How does Open WebUI compare to LibreChat? A: Both are self-hosted chat UIs. Open WebUI has deeper Ollama integration, built-in RAG, voice features, and a model builder. LibreChat focuses on multi-provider API routing. Open WebUI has 10x more stars and community activity.
Q: Do I need a GPU to run it? A: Open WebUI itself doesn't need a GPU — it's just the web interface. If you use cloud APIs (OpenAI, etc.), no GPU needed at all. For local models via Ollama, a GPU significantly improves inference speed.
Q: Can I use it for a team? A: Yes. It supports multi-user mode with admin, user, and pending roles. Each user gets their own chat history and settings. LDAP and OAuth authentication are available.
Q: Is it really free? A: Yes, fully open source and free to self-host. There's an optional cloud plan for managed hosting, but the self-hosted version has all features.
Works With
- Ollama for local model inference
- OpenAI / Anthropic / Google / any OpenAI-compatible API
- Docker / Kubernetes for deployment
- ChromaDB / Milvus / Qdrant / pgvector for RAG
- Whisper for speech-to-text