Onyx
Open-source AI chat and search platform that connects to your team's apps and works with major LLM providers.
Chatbots & LLMsFreeverified Listed on Open source
Is Onyx free?
Yes, Onyx has a free plan. What you get: Open source (MIT): free to self-host, works with any major LLM provider. To get it: follow the install or deployment guide in the GitHub repository; then connect an LLM provider; then connect your apps. Watch out: community Edition does not include Enterprise Edition features. Verified on onyx.app.
Free plan at a glance
- Includes
- Open source (MIT): free to self-host, works with any major LLM provider
Community Edition is free under the MIT license and covers core features for RAG, AI Chat, Agents and Actions. Onyx Cloud has a free trial; its length is not stated.
- Duration
- Free forever
- Your content
- The maker says it isn't used to train AI
How to get it free
Self-host- Follow the install or deployment guide in the GitHub repository
- Connect an LLM provider
- Connect your apps
Good to know
- Community Edition does not include Enterprise Edition features
- You choose and connect your own LLM provider
github.com, Checked Source
Overview
Onyx indexes knowledge from connected apps so AI chat and agents can answer with your team's own context. The MIT-licensed Community Edition is free to self-host; Onyx Cloud has a free trial.
Free vs paid
| Free | Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $20/mo, billed annually |
| Includes |
| Plan details |
Key features
- Search across 50+ connected apps with permissions kept
- Deep Research: multi-step reports
- Custom agents with their own knowledge, instructions and actions
- Web search to add live information
- External actions and MCP support
- Sandbox for running code, plus voice mode
Best for
- People
- Teams that want AI search over their own company knowledge, Organizations that need a self-hosted, private AI chat, Developers who want an open-source chat UI with agents
Limitations
- Community Edition leaves out Enterprise Edition features, which the maker says suit larger organizations
- Standard deployment runs several services; Lite mode is a chat UI that cannot index documents
- You run it on your own infrastructure and choose your own LLM provider
Screenshot

FAQ
- Is Onyx free?
- Yes. Onyx has a free plan: Open source (MIT): free to self-host, works with any major LLM provider. We last checked onyx.app's pricing page on 2026-10-23.
- What does the Onyx free plan include?
- Open source (MIT): free to self-host, works with any major LLM provider. Source: https://onyx.app/pricing (checked 2026-10-23).
- How do I get Onyx for free?
- Steps: Follow the install or deployment guide in the GitHub repository; Connect an LLM provider; Connect your apps. Start at https://github.com/onyx-dot-app/onyx (checked 2026-10-22).
- Do I need an account to use Onyx for free?
- Not for the free option: the free route is to self-host Onyx (Follow the install or deployment guide in the GitHub repository). Checked 2026-10-22.
- What's the catch with Onyx's free plan?
- Community Edition does not include Enterprise Edition features. You choose and connect your own LLM provider. Checked 2026-10-22.
- How much does Onyx cost after the free plan?
- The cheapest paid plan is the Business plan, at $20 a month, billed annually. We checked onyx.app's pricing page on 2026-10-23.Source: onyx.app/pricing
- What are free alternatives to Onyx?
- AnythingLLM, Lobe Chat and Felo all have free plans. We checked their free offers between 2026-10-23 and 2026-10-25.
- Is Onyx open source?
- Yes. Onyx Community Edition is available freely under the MIT license; Enterprise Edition adds extra features aimed at larger organizations.Source: github.com/onyx-dot-app/onyx
- Is there a free hosted plan?
- The pricing page lists Business and Enterprise plans. The docs describe a free trial of Onyx Cloud, and do not state its length.Source: onyx.app/pricing
- Can I run Onyx on my own servers?
- Yes. The README describes Docker, Kubernetes and Helm/Terraform deployments, and an air-gappable self-hosted setup.Source: github.com/onyx-dot-app/onyx
- Does Onyx train on my data?
- The homepage says no training on your data, by anyone, ever, in its self-hosted section.Source: onyx.app
Free alternatives

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Felo
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Sources
- Free offer
- Verified on github.com/onyx-dot-app/onyx
…Community Edition (CE) is available freely under the MIT license and covers all of the core features for RAG, AI Chat, Agents, and…
- Page content
Checked against
Added by our team. We check that a free option exists and record the date; signing up is between you and Onyx, so read their privacy policy and terms first.
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