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Free AI For That

Alpaca

Open-source Linux app for downloading and chatting with local AI models through Ollama, with optional cloud providers.

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Is Alpaca free?

Yes, Alpaca has a free plan. What you get: Free Linux app for chatting with local Ollama models. To get it: install Alpaca from Flathub through your Linux app store or the terminal; then create an instance (Ollama for local models); then add a text generation model and start chatting. Verified on jeffser.com.

Free plan at a glance

Includes
  • Free Linux app for chatting with local Ollama models

Free and open source under GPL-3.0. Local models run on your own computer through Ollama, and it works offline once models are downloaded.

Duration
Free forever
Your content
The maker says it isn't used to train AI

How to get it free

Self-host
  1. Install Alpaca from Flathub through your Linux app store or the terminal
  2. Create an instance (Ollama for local models)
  3. Add a text generation model and start chatting

Good to know

  • Packages outside Flathub (AUR, Nix, Snap) are unofficial
Get the free plan

jeffser.com, Checked Source

Overview

Alpaca is an Ollama client for Linux, distributed through Flathub, that lets you pull, manage and chat with local models, even several in one conversation. It reads images, documents, YouTube transcripts and web pages, and can also reach cloud models with your own API keys.

Key features

  • Pull and delete Ollama models from inside the app
  • Talk to several models in the same conversation
  • Ask about images, YouTube videos (through their transcripts) and web pages
  • Custom models made from instructions and a profile picture, for personas or roleplay
  • Chats saved locally on your device, with import and export
  • Optional cloud models through OpenAI-compatible APIs with your own keys

Best for

Tasks
Chat with an AI assistant
People
Linux users who want a simple app for local AI, Privacy-minded people who want chats stored on their own device, Hobbyists comparing several open models side by side

Limitations

  • Officially available only as a Flatpak from Flathub; other Linux packages are unofficial
  • Local models must be light enough to run on your own computer

FAQ

Is Alpaca free?
Yes. Alpaca has a free plan: Free Linux app for chatting with local Ollama models. We last checked jeffser.com's pricing page on 2026-11-12.
What does the Alpaca free plan include?
Free Linux app for chatting with local Ollama models. Source: https://jeffser.com/alpaca/ (checked 2026-11-12).
How do I get Alpaca for free?
Steps: Install Alpaca from Flathub through your Linux app store or the terminal; Create an instance (Ollama for local models); Add a text generation model and start chatting. Start at https://jeffser.com/alpaca/installation-guide.html (checked 2026-10-24).
Do I need an account to use Alpaca for free?
Not for the free option: the free route is to self-host Alpaca (Install Alpaca from Flathub through your Linux app store or the terminal). Checked 2026-10-24.
What's the catch with Alpaca's free plan?
Packages outside Flathub (AUR, Nix, Snap) are unofficial. Checked 2026-10-24.
What are free alternatives to Alpaca?
Felo, AnythingLLM and Lumo all have free plans. We checked their free offers on 2026-11-12.
Does Alpaca work offline?
Yes. Once your models are downloaded, you can use Alpaca entirely offline, and conversations are saved on your device.Source: jeffser.com/alpaca
Can Alpaca use ChatGPT or Gemini?
Yes. Besides local Ollama models, it can use third-party providers such as Gemini and ChatGPT, and cloud models with OpenAI-compatible APIs using your own API keys.Source: github.com/Jeffser/Alpaca
How do I install Alpaca?
It is distributed officially through Flatpak and Flathub: install it from your Linux distribution's app store or run flatpak install com.jeffser.Alpaca.Source: jeffser.com/alpaca/installation-guide.html

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Sources

Free offer
Verified on jeffser.com/alpaca
…is fully open source and licensed under the GPL-3.0 license, ensuring complete transparency and…
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How we check free offers

Added by our team. We check that a free option exists and record the date; signing up is between you and Alpaca, so read their privacy policy and terms first.

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