Chat interfaces · agent platform
holaOS: review, pricing, security and alternatives
holaOS is an open-source agent platform published by holaboss-ai, in the chat interfaces family. holaOS connects AI agents to applications, local files, and the browser in a local-first workspace with shared memory. Its repository has 11,423 stars and its last commit is from August 21, 2026.
| Adoption (stars) | 25/40 | |
|---|---|---|
| Activity (commits, releases) | 19/30 | |
| Framework (licence, control, models) | 15/30 |
What holaOS does
holaOS 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 #13 of the 17 projects of this family listed in the directory.
You use it from: desktop app. Usable models: Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), and any OpenAI-compatible model. It can run on your own machine or server.
Who is holaOS 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
According to its documentation, holaOS can:
- read and edit files
- drive a web browser
- read and send messages
We could not establish whether it asks for human approval before sensitive actions: test it first on an unimportant account or folder.
holaOS pricing
The code is public but the repository declares no licence: reuse is not formally allowed. The real cost comes from model calls: each loop step sends the whole context back to the model, and a task of several dozen steps can cost far more than a single question. The LLM price calculator estimates it for the chosen model.
Getting started with holaOS
- 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. - Create an API key with the model provider and put it in an environment variable, never in a shared or versioned file.
- Give it a first playground with nothing at stake: a test folder, a secondary account or a throwaway project. Only open your real accounts once you have seen how it behaves.
- 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.
Points found for holaOS:
- Trifecta: access to private data, reading outside content and sending messages. That combination makes data leaks through prompt injection possible.
- No licence: legally shaky for company use.
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 March 22, 2026, the holaboss-ai/holaOS repository has 11,423 stars, 720 forks and 4 open issues, with 157 commits in total. Last change 2 months ago.
Over the last 52 weeks: 156 commits, an average of 3 per week.
1 releases in total; 1 in the last twelve months. Latest release: latest, on August 6, 2026.
holaOS 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.
holaOS 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| holaOS | open source | 59 | 11.4K ★ | yes | – |
| AnythingLLM | open source | 89 | 67.5K ★ | yes | – |
| Cherry Studio | open source | 88 | 52.9K ★ | yes | – |
| AionUi | open source | 85 | 33.7K ★ | 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 | – |
How we rated it
Score: 59/100, computed only from public, verifiable data, with no subjective testing or partnership:
- Adoption 25/40: 11,423 stars on a log scale (40 points from about 200,000).
- Activity 19/30: last commit 2 months ago, 1 release in six months, 156 commits in a year.
- Framework 15/30: 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
holaOS is a project to watch: compare it with the alternatives before adopting it.
Strengths
- Can run on your side: data under control
- Free choice of model
Limitations
- Broad access without default approval
- No licence declared
Avoid if…
- It would access personal or bank accounts unattended
Alternatives
- AnythingLLM67.5K ★
- Cherry Studio52.9K ★
- AionUi33.7K ★
- Happy24.3K ★
- Open WebUI156.6K ★
- CopilotKit38.2K ★
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is holaOS free?
The software is public, with no declared licence. You still pay for the model calls, unless you use a local model.
Is holaOS safe?
Our risk level: high. Points found: trifecta and no licence. Give it minimum rights and approve irreversible actions.
Which models does holaOS use?
According to its documentation: Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), and any OpenAI-compatible model.
Can holaOS be installed on your own server?
Yes, from the holaboss-ai/holaOS repository. Data then stays with you, but security and updates are your job.
What are the alternatives to holaOS?
In the same family: AnythingLLM, Cherry Studio, AionUi, and Happy.
holaOS or AnythingLLM: what is the difference?
Both belong to the chat interfaces family. HolaOS has 11.4K stars against 67.5K for AnythingLLM. The right choice mostly depends on the access you are willing to give it.
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- 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