DATASHEET // OPEN-WEBUI

Open WebUI

Self-hosted ChatGPT-style frontend for Ollama / OpenAI.

OPEN SOURCEVIA OLLAMASelf-hosted server

Actually FreeNo SignupOpen SourceWatermark-FreeHobbyist-OKAPIPlugin

Requires: Ollama

Visit Open WebUIUPDATED 2026-05-19 · DIRECT LINK

github.com/open-webui/open-webui

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS //

Self-hosted server · Entry GPU (6–8 GB)

VIA OLLAMA

Min VRAM

None

Rec. VRAM

8 GB

Min RAM

8 GB

Rec. RAM

16 GB

Disk

10 GB

GPU class

Entry GPU

Apple Silicon ✓CPU-Capable

The UI itself is CPU-only; GPU requirement comes from your Ollama backend.

[ EDITORIAL PICK ]

Why we recommend Open WebUI

DERIVED FROM METADATA — NOT SPONSORED

Open source
Source is public — you can audit it, fork it, and you'll never lose access to your workflows if Open WebUI the company changes direction.
CPU-capable
Doesn't require a dedicated GPU — useful on laptops and headless servers.
Apple Silicon
Native Metal / MPS support — runs on M-series Macs without CUDA gymnastics.
Top-tier pick
Power-user score 88/100 — consistently rated highly by people who use this every day, not just benchmark chasers.

[ EVIDENCE NOTE ]

Documentation-led datasheet

This page summarizes upstream documentation, release information, and editorially reviewed catalogue fields. It is not presented as a hands-on benchmark. Verify changing requirements at the official project; report stale data through our corrections channel.

Memory guide →

AT-A-GLANCE SIGNALS //

DERIVED FROM THIS PAGE'S DATA

Install difficulty
Plugin
Drops into ollama — assuming the host is already set up.
Hardware comfort
Runs anywhere
No dedicated GPU required.
Ecosystem
Strong devkit
Open-source AND ships an API — easy to integrate, possible to host yourself.
Verification
Recent
Catalogue entry last updated 58 days ago — re-verification due soon.

[ COMMUNITY GUIDES & WORKFLOWS ]

Tutorials & deep-dives for Open WebUI

Hand-picked from YouTube, Reddit, GitHub, and the wider web. Each link goes straight to the source — we don't intercept or rewrite anything.

[ MORE IN THIS NICHE ]

Other local llm runners tools we rate

Three picks across different tradeoffs — so you don't end up with three near-clones of Open WebUI.

LIGHTEST HARDWARE //

Transformers

The library every LLM ships against first.

OPEN SOURCE2–24 GB VRAM

BEST FREE OPTION //

llama.cpp

The C++ inference engine powering most local LLMs.

OPEN SOURCECPU-CAPABLE

TOP QUALITY //

Ollama

One-command local LLM runtime.

OPEN SOURCECPU-CAPABLE

What is Open WebUI?

Open WebUI (formerly Ollama WebUI) is the canonical self-hosted ChatGPT clone. Drops in front of Ollama or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint and adds multi-user auth, RAG over uploaded docs, tools/functions, model management, and a clean responsive UI. The standard answer to 'how do I share my Ollama box with my team?'

Pros & cons

✓ PROS

One Docker command and you have a multi-user ChatGPT clone
Built-in RAG with re-rankers and document chunking
Plug-in 'tools' system for function calling
OpenAI-compatible — works with any provider

– CONS

Self-hosting only; no managed cloud offering
Docker is the supported path — bare-metal install is rougher

What's actually free?

BSD-3 — fully free for self-hosting.

✓ Actually FreeNo SignupOpen SourceWatermark-Free