head to head · open source
Open WebUI vs HuLa
Open WebUI has 152,426 GitHub stars, 22,301 forks, 294 open issues and last shipped today. HuLa has 7,719 stars, 1,042 forks, 24 open issues and last shipped 7 days ago. Open WebUI leads on adoption by 1,875% (152,426 vs 7,719 stars). Open WebUI is written in Python under a custom or non-standard licence; HuLa is written in Vue under Apache-2.0. Open WebUI has attracted 15% as many forks as stars, HuLa 13%. Open WebUI 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
| Open WebUI | HuLa | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 152K | ★ 7.7K |
| License | Custom / other | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Python | Vue |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-11 |
| Forks | ⑂ 22K | ⑂ 1.0K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Open WebUI if
- You weight community size — 152K stars and counting
- You want the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick HuLa if
- You want the HuLa feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Vue
- You evaluated both and HuLa fits your workflow better
About Open WebUI
Open WebUI is a self hosted, open source AI interface that unifies access to local and cloud based large language models. It runs entirely in a web browser and supports Ollama for local model hosting alongside any OpenAI compatible API, including services like LMStudio, GroqCloud, Mistral, and OpenRouter. Built in Python, it functions as a drop in replacement for proprietary AI platforms, giving users full control over their model infrastructure and data.
read the full Open WebUI overview →
About HuLa
HuLa is an open source, cross platform instant messaging system built on Tauri, Vite 7, Vue 3 and TypeScript, aimed at teams and individuals who want a performant chat client they can run on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS without depending on a hosted messenger they do not control.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Open WebUI or HuLa more popular?
Open WebUI has 152,426 GitHub stars and HuLa has 7,719. Open WebUI has the larger community by that measure.
Are Open WebUI and HuLa free?
Both are open source. Open WebUI has no licence declared in this registry, and HuLa is licensed under Apache-2.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between Open WebUI and HuLa?
Open WebUI is written in Python and HuLa in Vue. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Open WebUI or HuLa?
Choose Open WebUI if you want the larger community (152,426 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose HuLa if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.