exo vs FastChat
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted local llm runners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | exo | FastChat |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 98 · Excellent | 69 · Good |
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 47,624 | ★ 39,550 |
| First released | 2024 | 2023 |
| Replaces | OpenAI API | OpenAI API |
What are exo and FastChat?
exo
exo is an open-source project that unifies multiple everyday devices into a single AI compute cluster for running large language models. It splits models across phones, laptops, and desktops and exposes an OpenAI-compatible API.
- Distributes models across devices
- OpenAI-compatible API
- Automatic device discovery
- No master node required
FastChat
FastChat is an open platform for training, serving, and evaluating large language model chatbots. It powers the Chatbot Arena and provides an OpenAI-compatible API server for self-hosted models.
- OpenAI-compatible API
- Web UI for model chat
- Distributed serving
- Model evaluation tools
exo vs FastChat: key differences
Both projects are written in Python. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for exo versus Apache-2.0 for FastChat. FastChat lists first-class Docker deployment; exo does not.
Why pick each one
Choose exo if…
- Pools everyday devices
- OpenAI-compatible API
- Runs fully offline
Watch out for
- Experimental and evolving
- Network limits performance
Choose FastChat if…
- OpenAI-compatible API
- Powers Chatbot Arena
- Multi-model serving
Watch out for
- GPU recommended
- Steep learning curve
Frequently asked questions
Is exo or FastChat better?
exo is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider FastChat if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are exo and FastChat free and open-source?
Yes. exo is licensed under GPL-3.0 and FastChat under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run exo and FastChat with Docker?
exo: check the project docs for container support. FastChat: yes.