{
    "products": [
        {
            "slug": "jan",
            "name": "Jan",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://www.jan.ai/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/jan",
            "tagline": "Open-source desktop app for running AI models on your computer",
            "summary": "Jan is an open-source desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux that runs AI models on your computer and can also connect to cloud model providers. Its code is released under the Apache 2.0 license on GitHub.",
            "platforms": [
                "macos",
                "windows",
                "linux"
            ],
            "pricing": "open-source",
            "price_note": "Free and open source under Apache 2.0; cloud model connections are optional",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": true,
            "license": "Apache-2.0",
            "source": "https://github.com/janhq/jan",
            "strengths": [
                "Apache 2.0 licensed with source on GitHub",
                "Runs models offline on your own computer",
                "Connects to cloud providers when wanted"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Local speed depends on the computer's hardware",
                "Smaller model catalog than a hosted service"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Jan is a desktop chat app that presents itself as an open-source alternative to ChatGPT. Its download page offers builds for macOS, Windows and Linux, and the site describes it as a way to run AI on your own computer, with a local API server. It can run models locally or connect to cloud model providers.\n\nThe repository describes Jan as running 100% offline, and its acknowledgments list llama.cpp and Tauri among the projects it is built on. Jan is released under the Apache 2.0 license. Compared with llama.cpp, it is a finished desktop app rather than an engine, so it suits people who want a chat window and a local server without writing code."
        },
        {
            "slug": "koboldcpp",
            "name": "KoboldCpp",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://github.com/LostRuins/koboldcpp",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/koboldcpp",
            "tagline": "Single-file GGUF runner with the KoboldAI Lite web interface",
            "summary": "KoboldCpp is an AGPL-3.0 program that runs GGUF models locally from a single file, with a bundled KoboldAI Lite web interface. It runs on Windows, Linux and macOS and also generates images, speech and music with compatible models.",
            "developer": "LostRuins",
            "platforms": [
                "windows",
                "linux",
                "macos"
            ],
            "pricing": "open-source",
            "price_note": "AGPL-3.0 software is free to run locally",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": true,
            "license": "AGPL-3.0",
            "source": "https://github.com/LostRuins/koboldcpp",
            "strengths": [
                "One file with no install step",
                "Runs on CPU or GPU",
                "AGPL-3.0 open source"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "AGPL-3.0 has strong copyleft terms",
                "Image, video and music need separate compatible models"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "KoboldCpp runs GGUF language models on CPU or GPU and includes the KoboldAI Lite web interface for chat and story writing. The project describes a single file with zero install, and it ships ready-to-run downloads for Windows, Linux and macOS. The README lists text, image, video, speech and music generation with compatible models.\n\nThe README also lists an integrated agent, image generation and editing with models such as SDXL and Flux, and many additional features. The repository is AGPL-3.0 licensed and had about 12,000 stars when checked. Users who want a command-line server may compare llama.cpp or Ollama, which are both in this ranking."
        }
    ],
    "differences": [],
    "shared_rankings": [
        {
            "list": "local-llm-runners",
            "name": "Local LLM runners",
            "page": "https://listme.name/best/local-llm-runners",
            "of": 10,
            "results": [
                {
                    "product": "jan",
                    "rank": 5,
                    "score": 86,
                    "verdict": "An open-source desktop chat app for macOS, Windows and Linux that runs offline and can connect to cloud providers. It is a finished app rather than an engine, so it gives less developer control than llama.cpp.",
                    "best_for": "Offline chat on a personal computer",
                    "spec": {
                        "interface": "Desktop chat app with local API",
                        "model_format": "Local models",
                        "cloud_option": "Optional cloud providers"
                    }
                },
                {
                    "product": "koboldcpp",
                    "rank": 6,
                    "score": 84.5,
                    "verdict": "Single-file AGPL-3.0 runner for GGUF models, with the KoboldAI Lite interface and image, speech and music generation on Windows, Linux and macOS. Its copyleft license and wider feature set place it below Ollama.",
                    "best_for": "Single-file local writing and chat with GGUF models",
                    "spec": {
                        "interface": "Web interface (KoboldAI Lite)",
                        "model_format": "GGUF",
                        "cloud_option": "Not listed"
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "ranks_higher_in_closest_shared_list": "jan",
    "page": "https://listme.name/compare/jan-vs-koboldcpp",
    "json": "https://listme.name/api/v1/compare/jan-vs-koboldcpp.json",
    "notes": [
        "Scores are editorial and only comparable inside one list. Products with connected_to_publisher true receive a disclosed ranking lift: https://listme.name/methodology"
    ],
    "source": "https://listme.name",
    "license": "Free to read and cite with attribution to listme.name.",
    "docs": "https://listme.name/developers"
}