Jan vs Wllama
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?
Jan
Open-source offline ChatGPT alternative for the desktop
VS
Wllama
Run LLM inference directly in the browser with WebAssembly
| Feature | Jan | Wllama |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 43,899 | ★ 1,159 |
| First released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Replaces | ChatGPT | OpenAI API |
Why pick each one
Choose Jan if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 43.9k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Wllama if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Active community (1.2k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Jan or Wllama better?
Jan is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Wllama if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Jan and Wllama free and open-source?
Yes. Jan is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Wllama under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Jan and Wllama with Docker?
Jan: check the project docs for container support. Wllama: check the project docs for container support.