InvokeAI alternatives
Short answer
We track 1 self-hosted alternative to InvokeAI: ComfyUI.
ComfyUI (same category): larger community (142k vs 28.8k GitHub stars).
Last updated · how we rank · sources
InvokeAI alternatives compared
| # | App | Advantages over InvokeAI | Est. server cost | Official hardware | License | Stars | Last commit | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | InvokeAI (this app) | Active | GPU server (not estimated) | not published | Apache-2.0 | 28.8k | Oct 23, 2026 | — |
| 1 | ComfyUI Same category | larger community (142k vs 28.8k GitHub stars) Trade-off: InvokeAI has fewer license conditions (Permissive vs Copyleft (GPL)) | GPU server (not estimated) | minimum 8 GB RAM | GPL-3.0 | 142k | Oct 23, 2026 | InvokeAI vs ComfyUI |
Ranked by the number of objective advantages each alternative has over the app (cheaper estimated server cost, lighter official RAM figure, no GPU needed, fewer license conditions, better maintenance status, at least 1.5× the GitHub stars, simpler deploy). Ties: same-category apps first, then more GitHub stars. License order used: Permissive (MIT/Apache) → Open core → Copyleft (GPL) or Custom conditions → Network copyleft (AGPL) → Source-available. Archived projects are not listed as alternatives.
What each alternative is
- ComfyUI (Image & media generation): Node-based engine for generating images, video, 3D and audio with open models.
InvokeAI alternatives: FAQ
What is the best self-hosted alternative to InvokeAI?
By our objective ranking: 1. ComfyUI (larger community (142k vs 28.8k GitHub stars)). "Best" depends on the features you need; the ranking only counts cost, hardware, license, maintenance, community size and deploy complexity.
Is there a cheaper alternative to InvokeAI?
Not by our estimate. InvokeAI: GPU server (not estimated). Alternatives: ComfyUI (GPU server (not estimated)).
Which InvokeAI alternative has the most permissive license?
None has fewer conditions than InvokeAI (Apache-2.0 (Permissive)). Alternatives: ComfyUI: GPL-3.0 (Copyleft (GPL)). Not legal advice.
Related
Sources
- InvokeAI GitHub repository: github.com/invoke-ai/InvokeAI
- InvokeAI documentation: invoke.ai/
- InvokeAI license: github.com/invoke-ai/InvokeAI/blob/main/LICENSE
- InvokeAI hardware requirements: invoke.ai/start-here/system-requirements/
- InvokeAI deploy instructions: invoke.ai/configuration/docker/
- ComfyUI GitHub repository: github.com/Comfy-Org/ComfyUI
- Hetzner Cloud pricing used for cost estimates (read 2026-10-22): www.hetzner.com/cloud/regular-performance
- GitHub stars and commits: GitHub REST API, refreshed daily