head to head · open source
Open WebUI vs Ptero
Open WebUI has 157,498 GitHub stars, 22,901 forks, 294 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Ptero has 1,519 stars, 18 forks, 0 open issues and last shipped 6 days ago. Open WebUI leads on adoption by 10,269% (157,498 vs 1,519 stars). Open WebUI is written in Python under a custom or non-standard licence; Ptero is written in PHP under Apache-2.0. Open WebUI has attracted 15% as many forks as stars, Ptero 1%. Open WebUI was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (ai), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
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 | Ptero | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 157K | ★ 1.5K |
| License | Custom / other | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Python | PHP |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-10-28 |
| Forks | ⑂ 23K | ⑂ 18 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Open WebUI if
- You weight community size — 157K 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 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 Open WebUI
Open WebUI 👋 Open WebUI is a home for AI , a self hosted AI platform that's extensible , feature rich , user friendly, and built to run entirely offline . With support for Ollama and OpenAI compatible APIs , it gives you a powerful, provider agnostic interface for both local and cloud based models. Passionate about open source AI? Join our team → [!TIP] Looking for an Enterprise Plan? – Speak with Our Sales Team Today! For more information, be sure to check out our Open WebUI Documentation. Key Features of Open WebUI ⭐ 🚀 Effortless Setup : Install seamlessly via pip, uv, Docker, or Kubernetes (kubectl…
read the full Open WebUI overview →
About Ptero
🚀 Ptero – Free, Multi Model AI Chat Platform Ptero is a free, open source AI chat platform that gives you instant access to multiple powerful language models through a single, clean interface. No signup is required, and it is designed for developers, students, and creators who value privacy and simplicity. Try it live: 💖 Sponsors We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors for their support in keeping Ptero free and accessible for everyone. ✨ Key Features Access Multiple AI Models : Choose from a wide range of models, including DeepSeek V4 , Llama 3.3 , Qwen , MiniMax , Mistral , and more. One Click Model…
read the full Ptero overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Open WebUI or Ptero more popular?
Open WebUI has 157,498 GitHub stars and Ptero has 1,519. Open WebUI has the larger community by that measure.
Are Open WebUI and Ptero free?
Both are open source. Open WebUI has no licence declared in this registry, and Ptero is licensed under Apache-2.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between Open WebUI and Ptero?
Open WebUI is written in Python 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, Open WebUI or Ptero?
Choose Open WebUI if you want the larger community (157,498 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose Ptero if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.