llamafile vs One API
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted local llm runners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | llamafile | One API |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 97 · Excellent | 61 · Good |
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | C++ | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 26,032 | ★ 36,992 |
| First released | 2023 | 2023 |
| Replaces | OpenAI API, ChatGPT | OpenAI API, OpenRouter |
What are llamafile and One API?
llamafile
llamafile is a Mozilla project that turns large language model weights into a single cross-platform executable. It bundles llama.cpp with a model so an LLM can be run and served locally with no installation step.
- Single-file LLM distribution
- Runs on six operating systems
- OpenAI-compatible API server
- No installation required
One API
One API is an LLM API management and distribution system that exposes a single OpenAI-compatible endpoint while routing to many upstream providers. It adds key management, channel load balancing, usage tracking and multi-user billing.
- Unified OpenAI-compatible API
- Channel load balancing
- Token and quota management
- Multi-user support
llamafile vs One API: key differences
Llamafile is written in C++, while One API is built with Go. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for llamafile versus MIT for One API. One API is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 8,192 MB for llamafile. One API lists first-class Docker deployment; llamafile does not.
Why pick each one
Choose llamafile if…
- Extremely portable
- Fast startup
Watch out for
- Large file sizes for big models
Choose One API if…
- Single OpenAI-compatible endpoint
- Built-in usage billing
- Easy Docker deployment
Watch out for
- Documentation mostly Chinese
- Scaling needs external database
Frequently asked questions
Is llamafile or One API better?
Neither is universally better. One API has the larger community, while llamafile is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are llamafile and One API free and open-source?
Yes. llamafile is licensed under Apache-2.0 and One API under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run llamafile and One API with Docker?
llamafile: check the project docs for container support. One API: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, llamafile or One API?
One API has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 8,192 MB for llamafile. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.