Aphrodite Engine vs New API
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted local llm runners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Aphrodite Engine | New API |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 85 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Python | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,866 | ★ 48,815 |
| First released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Replaces | OpenAI API | OpenRouter, OpenAI API |
What are Aphrodite Engine and New API?
Aphrodite Engine
Aphrodite Engine is the official backend serving engine for PygmalionAI, optimized for high-throughput LLM inference. It exposes an OpenAI-compatible API and supports a wide range of quantization formats.
- High-throughput batching
- OpenAI-compatible endpoints
- Many quantization formats
- Continuous batching
New API
New API is a large-model interface management and distribution system derived from One API, providing an OpenAI-compatible gateway with richer billing, rendering and provider support. It is designed for running a self-hosted AI relay service.
- OpenAI-compatible relay
- Multi-provider channels
- Detailed billing
- Modern dashboard
Aphrodite Engine vs New API: key differences
Aphrodite Engine is written in Python, while New API is built with Go. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Aphrodite Engine versus MIT for New API. New API is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 8,192 MB for Aphrodite Engine. New API has the considerably larger community, at 48,815 GitHub stars versus 1,866.
Why pick each one
Choose Aphrodite Engine if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
Choose New API if…
- OpenAI-compatible gateway
- Broad provider support
- Built-in billing and quotas
Watch out for
- Docs primarily Chinese
- Niche relay use case
Frequently asked questions
Is Aphrodite Engine or New API better?
New API is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Aphrodite Engine if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Aphrodite Engine and New API free and open-source?
Yes. Aphrodite Engine is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and New API under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Aphrodite Engine and New API with Docker?
Aphrodite Engine: yes. New API: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Aphrodite Engine or New API?
New API has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 8,192 MB for Aphrodite Engine. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.