SHSelfHostIndex

LLMKube 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.

Not the right match-up?
LL LLMKube Kubernetes operator for llama.cpp-native LLM inference with GPU VS ON One API Unified OpenAI-compatible gateway for many LLM providers
FeatureLLMKubeOne API
CategoryLocal LLM RunnersLocal LLM Runners
LicenseApache-2.0MIT
LanguageGoJavaScript
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM512 MB256 MB
Deploymentdocker, kubernetesdocker, binary
GitHub stars★ 186★ 36,253
First released20262023
Replaces—OpenAI API, OpenRouter

Why pick each one

Choose LLMKube if…

  • Released under the Apache-2.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
  • Written in Go
LLMKube details

Choose One API if…

  • Released under the MIT license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Mature project with 36.3k GitHub stars
  • Written in JavaScript
One API details

Frequently asked questions

Is LLMKube or One API better?

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

Are LLMKube and One API free and open-source?

Yes. LLMKube is licensed under Apache-2.0 and One API under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run LLMKube and One API with Docker?

LLMKube: yes. One API: yes.

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