New API vs Ollama
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted local llm runners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Ollama
Run large language models locally with a simple CLI and API
| Feature | New API | Ollama |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 48,815 | ★ 181,557 |
| First released | 2024 | 2023 |
| Replaces | OpenRouter, OpenAI API | ChatGPT, OpenAI API |
What are New API and Ollama?
New API
New API is a large-model interface management and distribution system derived from One API, providing an OpenAI-compatible gateway with richer billing, rendering and provider support. It is designed for running a self-hosted AI relay service.
- OpenAI-compatible relay
- Multi-provider channels
- Detailed billing
- Modern dashboard
Ollama
Ollama lets you download, run, and manage open large language models such as Llama, Mistral, Gemma, and Qwen on your own machine. It provides a simple command line interface and a built-in REST API so other tools can use local models.
- One-command model downloads
- OpenAI-compatible API
- GPU and CPU support
- Modelfile customization
New API vs Ollama: key differences
Both projects are written in Go. New API is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 8,192 MB for Ollama. Ollama has the considerably larger community, at 181,557 GitHub stars versus 48,815.
Why pick each one
Choose New API if…
- OpenAI-compatible gateway
- Broad provider support
- Built-in billing and quotas
Watch out for
- Docs primarily Chinese
- Niche relay use case
Choose Ollama if…
- Extremely easy to set up
- Large model library
Watch out for
- Limited fine-grained inference tuning
Frequently asked questions
Is New API or Ollama better?
Ollama is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider New API if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are New API and Ollama free and open-source?
Yes. New API is licensed under MIT and Ollama under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run New API and Ollama with Docker?
New API: yes. Ollama: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, New API or Ollama?
New API has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 8,192 MB for Ollama. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.