Chat interfaces · agent infrastructure component
AionUi: review, pricing, security and alternatives
AionUi is an open-source agent infrastructure component published by iOfficeAI, in the chat interfaces family. AionUi provides a desktop application for using multiple command-line agents and organizing customized assistants. Its repository has 33,743 stars and its last commit is from October 23, 2026.
What AionUi does
AionUi belongs to the chat interfaces family: multi-model chat interfaces, often self-hostable, with built-in tools, agents and MCP servers. On our grid it ranks #3 of the 17 projects of this family listed in the directory.
It is not an agent in itself: it is a component other agents use (memory, isolated execution, web access, model gateway or monitoring). You pick it based on the agent or framework it has to equip.
You use it from: desktop app. Usable models: Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), and Gemini (Google). It can run on your own machine or server.
Who is AionUi for?
It targets people who want a single chat interface for several models, often self-hosted, with tools and agents plugged in. Typical tasks people give it:
- chat with several models from one window
- share an internal assistant with a team
- connect documents and tools to the chat
It is a good candidate if your data must stay on your machines.
Access and human control
Its documentation does not detail the access granted to the agent: check the settings before connecting it to your accounts.
We could not establish whether it asks for human approval before sensitive actions: test it first on an unimportant account or folder.
AionUi pricing
The code is free, under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Getting started with AionUi
- Install it: the project ships as a Node.js package (install with
npm, or run directly withnpx). The exact command is in the repository README. - Start with the minimal example from the docs, then add one tool at a time and check what the agent does with it.
- Give it a short, checkable task, review the result and its action log, then raise the difficulty step by step.
Security: risk level
The interface stores your API keys and conversation history: protect its access and backups.
Three habits: least privilege (minimal rights, dedicated keys), human approval for irreversible actions, a sandbox for code execution. The AI agent security check reviews your setup in a few minutes.
Project activity and releases
Created on August 7, 2025, the iOfficeAI/AionUi repository has 33,743 stars, 3,498 forks and 721 open issues, with 5,991 commits in total. It received changes this month.
Over the last 52 weeks: 3,280 commits, an average of 63.1 per week.
170 releases in total; 30 in the last twelve months. Latest release: v2.2.2, on September 9, 2026.
AionUi vs other chat interfaces
GitHub stars of the best-rated open-source projects in the chat interfaces family. Stars measure attention, not quality: a heavily promoted project collects them fast, a specialised tool will have few.
AionUi and other chat interfaces at a glance
The 7 best-ranked agents in the same family, 7 of them open source. The score out of 100 only applies to open-source projects; for proprietary services we show the published entry price. A dash marks information the documentation does not state.
| Agent | Model | Score | Stars or entry price | Self-hostable | Human approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AionUi | open source | 85 | 33.7K ★ | yes | – |
| AnythingLLM | open source | 89 | 67.5K ★ | yes | – |
| Cherry Studio | open source | 88 | 52.9K ★ | yes | – |
| Happy | open source | 84 | 24.3K ★ | yes | – |
| Open WebUI | open source | 83 | 156.6K ★ | yes | – |
| CopilotKit | open source | 81 | 38.2K ★ | yes | – |
| big-AGI | open source | 74 | 7.2K ★ | yes | – |
| Locally Uncensored | open source | 72 | 2.5K ★ | yes | – |
How we rated it
Score: 85/100, computed only from public, verifiable data, with no subjective testing or partnership:
- Adoption 30/40: 33,743 stars on a log scale (40 points from about 200,000).
- Activity 30/30: last commit less than a month ago, 30 releases in six months, 3,280 commits in a year.
- Framework 25/30: licence, default human approval, self-hosting, model choice and documentation site.
The score does not say whether the agent will succeed at your tasks: it measures how solid the project is. The full grid is on the method page.
Verdict
AionUi is one of the most solid projects in its family: followed, active and well framed.
Strengths
- Widely followed: 33.7K stars
- Very active development
- Frequent releases (30 in a year)
- Can run on your side: data under control
- Free choice of model
Alternatives
- AnythingLLM67.5K ★
- Cherry Studio52.9K ★
- Happy24.3K ★
- Open WebUI156.6K ★
- CopilotKit38.2K ★
- big-AGI7.2K ★
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is AionUi free?
The software is free (Apache-2.0 licence). You still pay for the model calls, unless you use a local model.
Is AionUi safe?
Our risk level: low. Give it minimum rights and approve irreversible actions.
Which models does AionUi use?
According to its documentation: Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), and Gemini (Google).
Can AionUi be installed on your own server?
Yes, from the iOfficeAI/AionUi repository. Data then stays with you, but security and updates are your job.
What are the alternatives to AionUi?
In the same family: AnythingLLM, Cherry Studio, Happy, and Open WebUI.
AionUi or AnythingLLM: what is the difference?
Both belong to the chat interfaces family. AionUi has 33.7K stars against 67.5K for AnythingLLM. The right choice mostly depends on the access you are willing to give it.
Related articles
- Open source or proprietary AI agent: how to decideOctober 25, 2026
- AI agent vs. chatbot: what's the difference?October 24, 2026
- Autonomous AI agents: how much should you let them do?October 12, 2026
- AI agent memory: how agents remember (and forget)October 11, 2026
Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score