6 Best Jan Alternatives in 2026 (Open Source)
Jan — Jan is an open source alternative to ChatGPT that runs 100% offline on your computer.. Most polished desktop LLM app combining local inference with cloud providers — ChatGPT-like UX for local models, unlike command-line-focused Ollama
These 6 open-source tools do the same job. They are ordered by how closely they match Jan, with live GitHub data so you can see which projects are actively maintained.
| Tool | GitHub stars | Stars / 30d | Last commit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan(original) | 44.7k | +551 | 2026-09-30 |
| Ollama | 182.0k | +2,511 | 2026-09-30 |
| TextGen | 47.7k | +217 | 2026-08-17 |
| Chatbox | 41.9k | +442 | 2026-09-24 |
| Cherry Studio | 52.3k | +1,580 | 2026-09-30 |
| Open WebUI | 153.6k | +3,958 | 2026-09-21 |
| AnythingLLM | 66.6k | +1,564 | 2026-09-30 |
1. Ollama
Get up and running with Kimi-K2.5, GLM-5, MiniMax, DeepSeek, gpt-oss, Qwen, Gemma and other models.
What sets it apart: Unlike vLLM (production server focus) or LM Studio (GUI-first), Ollama is the simplest CLI-first tool for running local LLMs with one-command setup, an OpenAI-compatible API, and the largest ecosystem of 100+ community integrations.
Best for: Developers who want to run open-source LLMs locally with zero configuration; Privacy-sensitive use cases requiring fully offline LLM inference
2. TextGen
The original local LLM interface. Text, vision, tool-calling, training, and more. 100% offline.
What sets it apart: Most feature-complete local LLM web UI with 4 inference backends, training, tool-calling, vision, and image gen — vs Ollama (CLI-focused) or LM Studio (closed source)
Best for: Running any LLM locally with a full-featured web UI; Privacy-conscious users wanting 100% offline AI; Developers needing a local OpenAI-compatible API server
3. Chatbox
Powerful AI Client
What sets it apart: vs ChatGPT web app: supports multiple LLM providers with local data storage; vs Open WebUI: lighter desktop-native app with mobile support rather than self-hosted web UI
Best for: Desktop users wanting unified LLM chat interface; Privacy-conscious users preferring local data storage; Teams sharing API resources
4. Cherry Studio
AI productivity studio with smart chat, autonomous agents, and 300+ assistants. Unified access to frontier LLMs
What sets it apart: Unlike Lobe Chat (web-first) or AnythingLLM (RAG-focused), Cherry Studio is a polished Electron desktop client purpose-built for multi-provider LLM access with 300+ pre-built assistants and MCP support, requiring zero environment setup.
Best for: Power users who want a single desktop app to access multiple LLM providers without switching between web UIs; Users who need side-by-side multi-model comparison for prompt testing; Non-technical users wanting a ready-to-use ChatGPT-like desktop experience with no environment setup
5. Open WebUI
User-friendly AI Interface (Supports Ollama, OpenAI API, ...)
What sets it apart: Unlike LM Studio (desktop-only, personal use), Open WebUI is a full multi-user platform with RAG, RBAC, SCIM provisioning, 9 vector DBs, and Google Drive/OneDrive integration — the most feature-complete self-hosted ChatGPT alternative
Best for: Teams wanting a self-hosted ChatGPT alternative with full data control and Ollama integration; Organizations needing enterprise-grade AI platform with LDAP/SCIM/SSO and multiple vector DB backends
6. AnythingLLM
The all-in-one AI productivity accelerator. On device and privacy first with no annoying setup or configuration.
What sets it apart: Unlike Open WebUI (chat-only) or RAGFlow (enterprise RAG focus), AnythingLLM is the most complete all-in-one desktop AI app combining RAG, no-code agent builder, MCP compatibility, multi-user support, and embeddable widgets — requiring zero coding to set up a private AI workspace.
Best for: Non-technical users who want a private, all-in-one ChatGPT replacement with document chat and agents; Small teams needing a self-hosted multi-user AI workspace with RAG and agent capabilities