ChatBot UI vs LobeHub
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted ai chat uis options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
LobeHub
Archived
Modern design AI chat framework supporting multiple AI providers, one
| Feature | ChatBot UI | LobeHub |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | ≈5-minute setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 36 · At risk | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | AI Chat UIs | AI Chat UIs |
| License | free | ⊘ Proprietary |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, one-click | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 33,348 | ★ 82,794 |
| First released | 2022 | None |
| Replaces | ChatGPT | ChatGPT |
What are ChatBot UI and LobeHub?
ChatBot UI
⚠️ Removal Notice: ChatBot UI has been removed from the Umbrel App Store because the packaged version is no longer maintained and is not compatible with the current upstream app architecture. Existing installs will continue to work as normal. ChatBot UI is an advanced chatbot kit for OpenAI's chat models aiming to mimic ChatGPT's interface and functionality. Simply add your OpenAI API key and start chatting! This version of ChatBot UI supports both GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 models. Conversations are stored locally within your browser. You can export and import conversations to safeguard against data l.
- ChatGPT-style interface
- Multiple model providers
- Prompt library
- Conversation import and export
LobeHub
Modern design AI chat framework supporting multiple AI providers, one click install MCP Marketplace and Artifacts / Thinking.
- Assistant marketplace
- Plugin system
- Voice and vision support
- Multi-provider models
ChatBot UI vs LobeHub: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: LobeHub's repository is archived and no longer developed, while ChatBot UI is actively maintained. Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — free for ChatBot UI versus ⊘ Proprietary for LobeHub. LobeHub has the considerably larger community, at 82,794 GitHub stars versus 33,348.
Why pick each one
Choose ChatBot UI if…
- Familiar ChatGPT-style interface
- Easy Docker deployment
- Conversation import and export
Watch out for
- No longer actively maintained
- OpenAI API key required
Choose LobeHub if…
- Polished modern interface
- Many provider integrations
- MCP marketplace built in
Watch out for
- Some features paywalled
- Not fully open license
Frequently asked questions
Is ChatBot UI or LobeHub better?
Neither is universally better. LobeHub has the larger community, while ChatBot UI is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are ChatBot UI and LobeHub free and open-source?
Yes. ChatBot UI is licensed under free and LobeHub under ⊘ Proprietary. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ChatBot UI and LobeHub with Docker?
ChatBot UI: yes. LobeHub: yes.