Ollama
Popular runtime to download and run open LLMs locally via CLI, desktop app and a REST/OpenAI-compatible API.
- License
- MIT
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker, CLI
- Own API keys
- Yes
- Checked
- 2026-09-24
Ollama works with OpenAI-compatible APIs. Grab a free key and a model from the catalog: for coding · for agents · providers and base URLs
Ollama alternatives
Desktop app to discover, download and run local LLMs (llama.cpp, MLX) with a chat UI and an OpenAI-compatible local server.
Offline ChatGPT alternative: runs local LLMs, connects to cloud APIs, supports MCP and serves an OpenAI-compatible API on localhost.
Reference C/C++ engine for GGUF models; llama-server provides an OpenAI-compatible API and web UI on CPU, CUDA, Metal, Vulkan and ROCm.
High-throughput LLM inference and serving engine with an OpenAI-compatible server for NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, TPU and CPU.
Self-hosted drop-in OpenAI/Anthropic API replacement for LLMs, images, audio, video and embeddings on CPU or GPU.
Single-file llama.cpp-based runner with the KoboldAI Lite UI; OpenAI/Ollama-compatible APIs plus image generation, Whisper and TTS.
FAQ
Is Ollama free?
Running models locally is free and unlimited; the Ollama Cloud free plan adds starter usage and 1 concurrent request, paid plans start at $20/mo.
Does Ollama work with free models?
Yes. It supports your own keys and OpenAI-compatible APIs, so you can plug in free models from OpenRouter, Groq, NVIDIA Build, or a local Ollama.
What license does Ollama use?
MIT. The source code is open.