Self-host LibreChat
updated Jul 2026deployed by usprices checked · Jul 2026Install verified on Ubuntu 26.04 · Sep 2026 · how we test
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Open-source, multi-provider AI chat platform unifying OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Azure, and local models behind one UI, with agents, RAG, code interpreter, and MCP tool support.
Key facts
CategoryAI Chat Interfaces
LicenseMIT
StackTypeScript, React, Node.js, MongoDB
Min RAM2048 MB
Official imageyes
Measured idle RAM1115 MB
Difficulty
Our recommendation
Choose LibreChat when you want one chat UI in front of many providers — OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Azure, and local models — with agents, RAG, a code interpreter, and MCP tools built in. It's the most feature-complete option here and cleanly MIT-licensed, at the cost of being the fiddliest to stand up: it wants MongoDB and a stack of `.env` keys. If you only need a clean front end for one local backend, Open WebUI is far less to wire.
Follow the LibreChat deploy guide →What you need
- Any VPS with at least 2048 MB of RAM
- A domain you control — most self-hosted setups need HTTPS in front of them
- About an afternoon — budget time for troubleshooting
Where to host itaffiliate disclosure
Hetzner Cloudrun it on
From $23.59/mo · 2 vCPU / 4 GB / 80 GB · EU + USKamaterafree trial
From $4/mo · 1 vCPU / 1 GB / 20 GB · US + EU + AsiaDigitalOceanalso works on
From $6/mo · 1 vCPU / 1 GB / 25 GB · US + EU + AsiaPaid link — we earn a commission if you shop through it.
Install
Run these commands on your server:
# LibreChat — official Docker Compose setup
git clone https://github.com/danny-avila/LibreChat.git
cd LibreChat
cp .env.example .env
sed -i "s/^ADMIN_PANEL_SESSION_SECRET=$/ADMIN_PANEL_SESSION_SECRET=$(openssl rand -hex 32)/" .env # the bundled admin panel refuses to start without it
# add your provider API keys to .env, then:
docker compose up -d # → http://SERVER_IP:3080deploy guideHow to Deploy LibreChat on a VPSvps picksBest VPS for self-hostingbenchmarked quarterly · re-priced monthly
What you take on
LibreChat's breadth is the draw and the catch — every provider it unifies is one more thing to configure and keep honest:
non-negotiableIt's a real stack, not a single container. LibreChat needs MongoDB alongside it (and a vector store if you want RAG) — budget the 2 GB minimum for the app plus a database to back up, not a one-file deploy.
non-negotiableConfiguration is the work. Multi-provider means a .env full of API keys and a librechat.yaml to shape which models and tools appear — powerful, but plan an evening to wire it correctly the first time.
non-negotiableHosted providers aren't free or private. Point it at OpenAI or Anthropic and you're back to per-token bills and prompts leaving your box — the privacy and cost win only lands when you route it to a local backend.
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