exo vs Serge
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted local llm runners options — 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
Serge
Self-hosted LLaMA chat UI with no API keys needed
| Feature | exo | Serge |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Svelte |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 46,708 | ★ 5,716 |
| First released | 2024 | 2023 |
| Replaces | OpenAI API | ChatGPT |
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 Serge if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.7k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is exo or Serge better?
Neither is universally better. exo has the larger community, while Serge is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are exo and Serge free and open-source?
Yes. exo is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Serge under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run exo and Serge with Docker?
exo: check the project docs for container support. Serge: yes.