What it is
LobeHub started as LobeChat, a good-looking open-source chat interface for many model providers. In 2026 it was renamed and moved to lobehub/lobehub, and it now pitches itself as a place to run teams of agents that work on schedules and report back through Slack, Discord or Telegram.
It supports many model providers, an agent marketplace, plugins, MCP, knowledge bases and image generation. You can self-host it with Docker or on Vercel, run the desktop app, or pay for LobeHub Cloud.
The licence is the LobeHub Community License, Apache 2.0 with conditions: commercial use without modifying the code is allowed, but developing and distributing a derivative needs a commercial licence, and contributors agree the company may change the terms.
Our review
LobeHub has the most consumer-grade interface of the open-source chat apps, and the weakest case for being the server a company puts on the internet. It has about 83,400 GitHub stars and releases almost daily; v2.2.20 shipped on 18 October 2026.
The security record is the first thing an engineer should read. The repository lists 15 published advisories, three rated critical, including server-side request forgery in the proxy endpoint in 2024 and a January 2026 cross-site scripting flaw that escalated to remote code execution. In 2026 alone there was an unauthenticated authentication bypass via a forgeable X-lobe-chat-auth header, an unauthenticated SSRF, and on 17 October a path traversal in file names leading to arbitrary file write and code execution. Each was patched, but a self-hosted instance needs prompt updates and should sit behind an authenticating proxy.
The 2026 rebrand changed the focus towards an agent operator that hires, schedules and reports on agents, and much of that is easiest on LobeHub Cloud. Self-hosters report that the server version, set up by a script and docker compose with a database and object storage, is more involved than the old client-only LobeChat. Analytics are off unless you add PostHog, Umami or similar keys.
Cloud pricing is now clear on the official page. Monthly billing costs $12.90, $24.90 or $49.90 for 5, 15 or 35 million credits; yearly billing takes 20% off. Credits, not messages, are the unit, so the page's own estimates (about 30 Claude Opus 5.5 messages a month on Starter) are the figures to plan around.
The licence decides the rest. Running it unmodified for staff or customers is fine; shipping a fork with your own changes needs a deal with LobeHub, a restriction neither LibreChat (MIT) nor most rivals impose.
Where it earns its place
A freelance developer paying for three model APIs
Use GPT, Claude and local models from one good-looking desktop app
Install the desktop app, add your own API keys, and keep history local or sync it to a self-hosted server. Free under the licence; the only cost is the providers you already pay.
An IT lead at a 30-person design studio
Give staff a shared AI chat workspace without per-seat SaaS fees
Run the Docker deployment behind an authenticating reverse proxy, on a small VM with a database and S3-compatible storage. Allowed commercially if unmodified; subscribe to the security advisories, since two 2026 flaws needed no login.
A solo consultant who wants agents without running servers
Schedule research agents that report back in Slack
LobeHub Cloud Premium is $19.90 a month billed yearly for 15 million credits; heavy use of frontier models exhausts credits quickly, and extra credit packs are sold separately.
Before you commit
- Setup
- Desktop app in minutes; server self-hosting runs a setup script then docker compose up, bringing up a database and object storage, or a one-click Vercel deploy.
- Integrations
- Dozens of model providers, MCP servers, a plugin gateway, knowledge bases, image generation, Slack, Discord and Telegram reporting, and optional Langfuse or OpenTelemetry tracing.
- Data and privacy
- Self-hosted data stays in your database and storage; analytics only run if you set PostHog, Umami, Google or Vercel keys. 15 GitHub advisories, three critical. The cloud pricing page says nothing on retention, training use or certifications.
- Cost at scale
- Self-hosted, a small VM plus database and storage for a team, plus model API bills. Cloud ranges from $9.90 to $39.90 a month billed yearly per account; the Enterprise Edition with a commercial licence and user management is by quote.
- Limits
- About 1,160 open issues and pull requests, near-daily releases, no published SSO on cloud plans, and a licence that blocks redistributing a modified version.
What's good
- Most polished interface among open-source chat apps
- Many providers, MCP, plugins and an agent marketplace
- Self-hosted, desktop and cloud options
- Clear, published cloud pricing
What's not
- 15 published advisories, three critical
- Modified derivatives need a commercial licence
- Server self-hosting needs a database and object storage
- Product direction shifting towards its paid cloud
Best for
Individuals and small teams who want an attractive multi-model chat and agent app.
Alternatives
LobeHub (formerly LobeChat): common questions
- Is LobeHub (formerly LobeChat) worth it?
- Better looking than any open-source rival, but a licence that bars modified redistribution and a long run of serious advisories make it a riskier server to expose than LibreChat or Open WebUI. We rate it 4.1 out of 5.
- How much does LobeHub (formerly LobeChat) cost?
- Self-hosting free under the LobeHub Community License. LobeHub Cloud: Free; Starter $12.90/month ($9.90 billed yearly); Premium $24.90 ($19.90 yearly); Ultimate $49.90 ($39.90 yearly). Enterprise Edition by quote.
- What are the downsides of LobeHub (formerly LobeChat)?
- 15 published advisories, three critical; modified derivatives need a commercial licence; server self-hosting needs a database and object storage; product direction shifting towards its paid cloud.
- Who is LobeHub (formerly LobeChat) best for?
- Individuals and small teams who want an attractive multi-model chat and agent app.
- How much does LobeHub (formerly LobeChat) cost for a team or in production?
- Self-hosted, a small VM plus database and storage for a team, plus model API bills. Cloud ranges from $9.90 to $39.90 a month billed yearly per account; the Enterprise Edition with a commercial licence and user management is by quote.
- Is LobeHub (formerly LobeChat) safe for company data?
- Self-hosted data stays in your database and storage; analytics only run if you set PostHog, Umami, Google or Vercel keys. 15 GitHub advisories, three critical. The cloud pricing page says nothing on retention, training use or certifications.
- What are the best LobeHub (formerly LobeChat) alternatives?
- The closest alternatives we have reviewed are Open WebUI, LibreChat and Cherry Studio.
Answers checked Oct 23, 2026.
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