Self-host Jan

AI Chat Interfaces

deployed & timed by usprices checked · Jul 2026

Offline-first, open-source ChatGPT alternative that runs LLMs locally on the desktop (llama.cpp based, GPU-accelerated where available), with an optional self-hosted Jan Server for OpenAI-compatible API access across a team.

ChatGPT / yr$240

Self-hosted / yr~$55

You keep$185/yr

Key facts

CategoryAI Chat Interfaces

LicenseApache-2.0

StackTypeScript, Rust, Tauri

Min RAM8192 MB

Dockeryes

Difficulty

Our recommendation

Choose Jan when offline-first is the whole point — it's an Apache-2.0 app that runs LLMs locally with no account and no cloud by default, plus an optional self-hosted Jan Server for OpenAI-compatible API access across a team. It's the privacy-purist pick. If you want a browser-based, multi-user UI rather than a desktop-first app, Open WebUI is the better shape.

What you need

Any VPS with at least 8192 MB of RAM
A domain you control — most self-hosted setups need HTTPS in front of them
About an afternoon — budget time for troubleshooting

Install with Docker Compose

Save this as compose.yml and run docker compose up -d:

# Jan Server — official Docker Compose self-host (janhq/server)
git clone https://github.com/janhq/server.git jan-server
cd jan-server
make quickstart  #  guided .env + config/secrets.env setup
make up-cpu  #  or make up-gpu on NVIDIA hardware  →  http://SERVER_IP:8000

vps picksBest VPS for self-hostingbenchmarked quarterly · re-priced monthly

What you take on

Jan's offline-first promise is real, but it shapes what the tool is and isn't:

non-negotiableIt's desktop-first. The core Jan experience is a local app (Tauri-based, llama.cpp under it), not a web service — the self-hosted Jan Server exists for team API access, but it's a separate, younger piece to run.

non-negotiableLocal inference wants the hardware. The 8 GB minimum is a starting point; real models want more RAM and are far happier with a GPU — offline doesn't mean lightweight.

non-negotiableIt's a fast-moving project. Jan is still maturing — pin versions and read the release notes, and don't assume feature or config stability across updates.