SHSelfHostIndex

Jan 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.

Not the right match-up?
JA Jan Open-source offline ChatGPT alternative for the desktop VS KO KoboldCpp Single-file local LLM runner for text and storytelling
FeatureJanKoboldCpp
Deploy effortRead-the-docs projectRead-the-docs project
Health score99 · Excellent93 · Excellent
CategoryLocal LLM RunnersLocal LLM Runners
LicenseAGPL-3.0AGPL-3.0
LanguageRustC++
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM8,192 MB8,192 MB
Deploymentbinary, bare-metalbinary, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 44,630★ 11,854
First released20232023
ReplacesChatGPTChatGPT

What are Jan and KoboldCpp?

Jan

Jan is a desktop application that runs large language models fully offline on your computer. It provides a clean chat interface, a local API server, and the ability to connect to remote providers when desired.

  • Fully offline by default
  • Built-in local API server
  • Model hub browser
  • Privacy focused

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

Jan vs KoboldCpp: key differences

Jan is written in Rust, while KoboldCpp is built with C++. Jan has the considerably larger community, at 44,630 GitHub stars versus 11,854.

Why pick each one

Choose Jan if…

  • Polished desktop interface
  • Fully offline chat
  • Local API server included

Watch out for

  • Single-user desktop focus
  • Large models need RAM
Jan details

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++
KoboldCpp details

Frequently asked questions

Is Jan or KoboldCpp better?

Neither is universally better. Jan has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Jan and KoboldCpp free and open-source?

Yes. Jan is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and KoboldCpp under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Jan and KoboldCpp with Docker?

Jan: check the project docs for container support. KoboldCpp: check the project docs for container support.

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