Easy Diffusion vs LocalAI
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted ai image generation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Easy Diffusion
Easiest one-click installer for Stable Diffusion
VS
LocalAI
Drop-in OpenAI-compatible API for local inference
| Feature | Easy Diffusion | LocalAI |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI Image Generation | AI Image Generation |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | one-click, bare-metal | docker, kubernetes, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,452 | ★ 48,315 |
| First released | 2022 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Midjourney, DALL-E | OpenAI API, ElevenLabs |
Why pick each one
Choose Easy Diffusion if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- One-click install on common self-host platforms
- Mature project with 10.5k GitHub stars
Choose LocalAI if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 48.3k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Easy Diffusion or LocalAI better?
Neither is universally better. LocalAI has the larger community, while Easy Diffusion is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Easy Diffusion and LocalAI free and open-source?
Yes. Easy Diffusion is licensed under Apache-2.0 and LocalAI under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Easy Diffusion and LocalAI with Docker?
Easy Diffusion: check the project docs for container support. LocalAI: yes.