head to head · open source
AnythingLLM vs Ptero
AnythingLLM has 66,141 GitHub stars, 7,347 forks, 311 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Ptero has 1,256 stars, 14 forks, 0 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. AnythingLLM leads on adoption by 5,166% (66,141 vs 1,256 stars). AnythingLLM is written in JavaScript under MIT; Ptero is written in PHP under Apache-2.0. AnythingLLM has attracted 11% as many forks as stars, Ptero 1%. AnythingLLM 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 | Ptero | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 66K | ★ 1.3K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | JavaScript | PHP |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 7.3K | ⑂ 14 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick AnythingLLM if
- You weight community size — 66K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Ptero if
- You want the Ptero feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches PHP
- You evaluated both and Ptero fits your workflow better
About AnythingLLM
AnythingLLM is a local first AI application that enables users to chat with their documents using any large language model (LLM), local or cloud hosted. It runs as a self hosted service—by default in Docker—and provides a complete interface for document ingestion, agent orchestration, multi user access, and workflow automation without requiring external cloud dependencies. The project lives in the local AI and AI interaction ecosystem, targeting users who want full control over their data and model selection.
read the full AnythingLLM overview →
About Ptero
Ptero is a free, open source AI chat platform that provides access to multiple large language models through a single, clean interface. It is designed for developers, students, and creators who value privacy and simplicity, and it requires no signup to use. The project lives in the PHP and JavaScript ecosystem: the frontend is built with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, while the backend uses PHP and a REST API, primarily for its WordPress integration. It sits in the AI and Machine Learning category, specifically under AI Interaction and Interfaces.
read the full Ptero overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is AnythingLLM or Ptero more popular?
AnythingLLM has 66,141 GitHub stars and Ptero has 1,256. AnythingLLM has the larger community by that measure.
Are AnythingLLM and Ptero free?
Both are open source. AnythingLLM is licensed under MIT and Ptero under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between AnythingLLM and Ptero?
AnythingLLM is written in JavaScript and Ptero in PHP. 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 Ptero?
Choose AnythingLLM if you want the larger community (66,141 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose Ptero if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.