exo vs GPUStack
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
exo
Run your own AI cluster across everyday devices
VS
GPUStack
Manage GPU clusters for running AI models
| Feature | exo | GPUStack |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Self-Hosted AI |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | source | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 46,708 | ★ 5,456 |
| First released | 2024 | 2024 |
| Replaces | OpenAI API | OpenAI API |
Why pick each one
Choose exo if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Mature project with 46.7k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
Choose GPUStack if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 5.5k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is exo or GPUStack better?
Neither is universally better. exo has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are exo and GPUStack free and open-source?
Yes. exo is licensed under GPL-3.0 and GPUStack under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run exo and GPUStack with Docker?
exo: check the project docs for container support. GPUStack: yes.