Enchanted vs KoboldCpp
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted local llm runners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Enchanted | KoboldCpp |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 85 · Excellent | 93 · Excellent |
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Swift | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | binary | binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,002 | ★ 11,854 |
| First released | 2024 | 2023 |
| Replaces | ChatGPT | ChatGPT |
What are Enchanted and KoboldCpp?
Enchanted
Enchanted is an open-source, privacy-focused app that connects to a self-hosted Ollama server from Apple devices. It provides a native chat experience for private local models on the go.
- Native Apple app
- Connects to private Ollama
- Conversation history
- Prompt completions
KoboldCpp
KoboldCpp is an easy-to-use, single-executable tool for running GGUF language models locally. It is popular for AI writing and roleplay, bundling a UI, an API, and image and speech features.
- Single-file executable
- Bundled UI and API
- Image and TTS support
- Storytelling features
Enchanted vs KoboldCpp: key differences
Enchanted is written in Swift, while KoboldCpp is built with C++. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Enchanted versus AGPL-3.0 for KoboldCpp. Enchanted is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 8,192 MB for KoboldCpp.
Why pick each one
Choose Enchanted if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 6k GitHub stars
- Written in Swift
Choose KoboldCpp if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 11.9k GitHub stars
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is Enchanted or KoboldCpp better?
Neither is universally better. KoboldCpp has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Enchanted and KoboldCpp free and open-source?
Yes. Enchanted is licensed under Apache-2.0 and KoboldCpp under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Enchanted and KoboldCpp with Docker?
Enchanted: check the project docs for container support. KoboldCpp: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Enchanted or KoboldCpp?
Enchanted has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 8,192 MB for KoboldCpp. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.