LibreChat vs LobeHub (LobeChat)
Short answer
LibreChat: Multi-provider ChatGPT-style interface with agents, file search and user management. LobeHub (LobeChat): Polished multi-model chat and agent workspace with plugins and knowledge bases. Both are in our Private ChatGPT-style chat category.
Choose LibreChat if you want: cheaper to host (from €6.49/mo vs €19.99/mo), lighter official minimum (1 GB vs 4 GB RAM) and fewer license conditions (Permissive vs Custom / conditional).
Choose LobeHub (LobeChat) if you want: larger community (83.4k vs 46.1k GitHub stars).
Last updated · computed from each project's official docs and live GitHub data · sources
LibreChat vs LobeHub (LobeChat) side by side
| LibreChat | LobeHub (LobeChat) | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Private ChatGPT-style chat | Private ChatGPT-style chat |
| What it is | Multi-provider ChatGPT-style interface with agents, file search and user management. | Polished multi-model chat and agent workspace with plugins and knowledge bases. |
| License | MIT | LobeHub Community License (Apache-2.0 with conditions) |
| License type | Permissive | Custom / conditional |
| License conditions | Permissive. Internal and commercial use allowed; keep the copyright notice. | Commercial use is allowed as a frontend and backend service without modifying the source. Developing and distributing a derivative work requires a commercial license from LobeHub. |
| Status | Active | Active |
| GitHub stars | 46.1k | 83.4k |
| Last commit | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 22, 2026 |
| Latest release | — | v2.2.20 |
| Minimum hardware | 1 vCPU · 1 GB RAM | 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM · 20 GB disk |
| Recommended hardware | 2 GB RAM | 4 vCPU · 8 GB RAM · 50 GB disk |
| RAM measured by us | Not tested yet | Not tested yet |
| GPU | Not required / not stated | Not required / not stated |
| Est. server cost | from €6.49/mo (recommended spec: €11.99/mo) | from €19.99/mo (recommended spec: €35.99/mo) |
| Deploy method | Docker Compose | Docker Compose (setup script) |
| Known gotchas | 2 listed | 3 listed |
| Telemetry | Not documented | Not documented |
| Calls home by default | Not documented | Not documented |
| SSO (OIDC / SAML / LDAP) | Free (OIDC free · SAML free · LDAP free) | Free (OIDC free) |
| Audit log | Not documented | Not documented |
| RBAC | Not documented | Not documented |
| Details | Full LibreChat guide → | Full LobeHub (LobeChat) guide → |
Key differences
- License: LibreChat: MIT (Permissive). LobeHub (LobeChat): LobeHub Community License (Apache-2.0 with conditions) (Custom / conditional).
- Official hardware: LibreChat: minimum 1 vCPU · 1 GB RAM (recommended 2 GB RAM). LobeHub (LobeChat): minimum 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM · 20 GB disk (recommended 4 vCPU · 8 GB RAM · 50 GB disk).
- Est. server cost: LibreChat: from €6.49/mo. LobeHub (LobeChat): from €19.99/mo.
- Deploy: LibreChat: Docker Compose · multi-container stack. LobeHub (LobeChat): Docker Compose (setup script) · multi-container stack.
- GitHub stars: LibreChat: 46.1k. LobeHub (LobeChat): 83.4k.
- Latest release: LibreChat: none published. LobeHub (LobeChat): v2.2.20 (Oct 18, 2026).
Same for both: Category: Private ChatGPT-style chat; GPU: not required or not stated; Status: Active; Last commit: Oct 22, 2026.
LibreChat vs LobeHub (LobeChat): FAQ
LibreChat or LobeHub (LobeChat): which should a small business choose?
Choose LibreChat if you want: cheaper to host (from €6.49/mo vs €19.99/mo), lighter official minimum (1 GB vs 4 GB RAM) and fewer license conditions (Permissive vs Custom / conditional). Choose LobeHub (LobeChat) if you want: larger community (83.4k vs 46.1k GitHub stars).
Which is cheaper to self-host, LibreChat or LobeHub (LobeChat)?
LibreChat: cheaper to host (from €6.49/mo vs €19.99/mo).
How much hardware do LibreChat and LobeHub (LobeChat) need?
LibreChat: minimum 1 vCPU · 1 GB RAM (recommended 2 GB RAM). LobeHub (LobeChat): minimum 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM · 20 GB disk (recommended 4 vCPU · 8 GB RAM · 50 GB disk).
What is the license difference between LibreChat and LobeHub (LobeChat)?
LibreChat: MIT (Permissive). Permissive. Internal and commercial use allowed; keep the copyright notice. LobeHub (LobeChat): LobeHub Community License (Apache-2.0 with conditions) (Custom / conditional). Commercial use is allowed as a frontend and backend service without modifying the source. Developing and distributing a derivative work requires a commercial license from LobeHub. This is a summary, not legal advice.
Is LibreChat or LobeHub (LobeChat) more actively maintained?
LibreChat: Active, last commit Oct 22, 2026. LobeHub (LobeChat): Active, last commit Oct 22, 2026. GitHub data refreshed Oct 22, 2026.
Which is easier to deploy, LibreChat or LobeHub (LobeChat)?
LibreChat installs via Docker Compose (multi-container stack); LobeHub (LobeChat) via Docker Compose (setup script) (multi-container stack). LibreChat lists 2 known gotchas and LobeHub (LobeChat) lists 3; see each app page.
Related
- LibreChat self-hosting guide · LobeHub (LobeChat) self-hosting guide
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- LibreChat vs Open WebUI
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- LobeHub (LobeChat) vs Open WebUI
- Add a third app in the interactive comparison
Sources
- LibreChat GitHub repository: github.com/LibreChat-AI/LibreChat
- LibreChat documentation, LibreChat hardware requirements, LibreChat deploy instructions: www.librechat.ai/docs/local/docker
- LibreChat license: github.com/LibreChat-AI/LibreChat/blob/main/LICENSE
- LobeHub (LobeChat) GitHub repository: github.com/lobehub/lobehub
- LobeHub (LobeChat) documentation, LobeHub (LobeChat) hardware requirements, LobeHub (LobeChat) deploy instructions: lobehub.com/docs/self-hosting/platform/docker-compose
- LobeHub (LobeChat) license: github.com/lobehub/lobehub/blob/main/LICENSE
- Hetzner Cloud pricing used for cost estimates (read 2026-10-22): www.hetzner.com/cloud/regular-performance
- GitHub REST API (stars, commits, releases): docs.github.com/en/rest
Every value is generated from the same verified data as the app pages. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.