Runtime comparison
KoboldCpp vs llama.cpp
KoboldCpp is a AGPL-3.0-licensed runtime for Linux · macOS · Windows running on CUDA · CPU · Vulkan · ROCm; llama.cpp is MIT-licensed for Linux · macOS · Windows on CUDA · Metal · CPU · Vulkan · ROCm. KoboldCpp rates easier to set up (4/5 vs 3/5 in our sourced ratings). Pick KoboldCpp for people who want a desktop app and no terminal; pick llama.cpp for serving many requests at once.
| Spec | KoboldCpp | llama.cpp |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Operating systems | Linux · macOS · Windows | Linux · macOS · Windows |
| GPU backends | CUDA · CPU · Vulkan · ROCm | CUDA · Metal · CPU · Vulkan · ROCm |
| Install | binary / source | source / binary |
| Ease of use | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| Quant formats | gguf | gguf |
| Engine | llama.cpp | ggml |
| GitHub stars | 10,973 | 119,748 |
| Latest version | v1.116.1 | b9935 |
| Graphical app (GUI) | Yes | No |
| Server mode | Yes | Yes |
| OpenAI-compatible API | Yes | Yes |
| CPU offload | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-GPU | Yes | Yes |
| Speculative decoding | Yes | Yes |
| LoRA support | Yes | Yes |
| KV-cache quantization | Yes | Yes |
Which should you use?
KoboldCpp
Best for people who want a desktop app and no terminal. Ships a graphical app, runs on CUDA · CPU · Vulkan · ROCm.
Full KoboldCpp guide →llama.cpp
Best for serving many requests at once. Command line and server, runs on CUDA · Metal · CPU · Vulkan · ROCm.
Full llama.cpp guide →Neither runtime changes whether a model fits — that is your memory and quantization. Check your hardware first, then pick the runtime.
Sources: KoboldCpp github.com/LostRuins/koboldcpp (as of 2026-07-08); llama.cpp github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp (as of 2026-07-11).