Best Open Source LLMs 2026: Complete Guide
Top open AI models you can use and customize
Open source LLMs give you freedom to use, modify, and host AI models. Here are the best open source options in 2026.
How We Evaluated
Our selection criteria for this ranking
Model performance
License openness
Community support
Self-hosting ease
Commercial usability
5 Best Tools Compared
Ranked by performance, features, and value
Pros
- Best benchmarks
- Free hosted
- Commercial use OK
- 128K context
⚠️ Cons
- •Large model size
- •Open weights not fully open source
Best for: Best performance with free hosted access
Pros
- Fully open source
- Multiple sizes
- Large community
- Multi-modal
⚠️ Cons
- •Slightly lower benchmarks
- •Self-host required
Best for: True open source flexibility
Pros
- European
- Good performance
- Efficient
⚠️ Cons
- •Smaller community
- •Less documentation
Best for: European compliance
Pros
- Excellent Chinese
- Multi-modal
- Multiple sizes
⚠️ Cons
- •Lower English benchmarks
Best for: Chinese language tasks
Pros
- Permissive license
- Efficient
- Good for size
⚠️ Cons
- •Lower benchmarks
- •Smaller community
Best for: Permissive licensing
Quick Navigation
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about these tools
What is the best open source LLM?
DeepSeek V4 leads in benchmarks and offers free hosted access. Llama 4 is best for full open source flexibility.
Can I self-host DeepSeek V4?
Yes, DeepSeek V4 weights are available for self-hosting, though it's large. Or use NoteLM's free hosted version.
Written By
The NoteLM team specializes in AI-powered video summarization and learning tools. We are passionate about making video content more accessible and efficient for learners worldwide.
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