head to head · open source
AnythingLLM vs Kai
AnythingLLM has 67,862 GitHub stars, 7,658 forks, 311 open issues and last shipped 4 days ago. Kai has 1,329 stars, 210 forks, 127 open issues and last shipped yesterday. AnythingLLM leads on adoption by 5,006% (67,862 vs 1,329 stars). AnythingLLM is written in JavaScript under MIT; Kai is written in Kotlin under Apache-2.0. AnythingLLM has attracted 11% as many forks as stars, Kai 16%. Kai was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| AnythingLLM | Kai | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 68K | ★ 1.3K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | JavaScript | Kotlin |
| Last push | 2026-10-30 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 7.7K | ⑂ 210 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick AnythingLLM if
- You weight community size — 68K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Kai if
- You want the Kai feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Kotlin
- You evaluated both and Kai fits your workflow better
About AnythingLLM
[!NOTE] We are also working on Open Computer which gives an entire computer environment for AI Agents to use. This will bring AnythingLLM's agent capabilities to a new level and a novel UX paradigm for AI Agent use. ⭐ Star the repo to stay updated! AnythingLLM: The all in one AI app you were looking for. Chat with your docs, use AI Agents, hyper configurable, multi user, & no frustrating setup required. Docs Hosted Instance English · 简体中文 · 日本語 👉 AnythingLLM for desktop (Mac, Windows, & Linux)! Download Now Chat with your docs. Automate complex workflows with AI Agents. Hyper configurable, multi user ready…
read the full AnythingLLM overview →
About Kai
Kai 9000 An open source AI assistant with persistent memory that runs on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, and Web . Website Documentation Sponsor: Atlas Cloud Installation Homebrew (macOS): AUR (Arch Linux): Winget (Windows): Direct Downloads AI That Builds Screens, Not Just Text Kai 9000's Interactive UI lets the AI generate full interactive screens — quizzes, dashboards, recipes, brainstorms, and more. Navigate by tapping buttons instead of scrolling through chat. Features Persistent memory — Kai remembers important details across conversations and uses them automatically Customizable soul — Define the AI's…
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Frequently asked questions
Is AnythingLLM or Kai more popular?
AnythingLLM has 67,862 GitHub stars and Kai has 1,329. AnythingLLM has the larger community by that measure.
Are AnythingLLM and Kai free?
Both are open source. AnythingLLM is licensed under MIT and Kai under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between AnythingLLM and Kai?
AnythingLLM is written in JavaScript and Kai in Kotlin. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, AnythingLLM or Kai?
Choose AnythingLLM if you want the larger community (67,862 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose Kai if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.