MaxKB
Enterprise knowledge-base and agent platform with RAG and workflows.
Quick answer
MaxKB is an enterprise knowledge-base and agent platform with RAG and workflows, listed under Knowledge base & RAG. A typical small-business use: internal HR or IT helpdesk answering from policy documents. Official hardware: minimum 4 vCPU · 8 GB RAM · 100 GB disk. That fits a Hetzner Cloud CPX32 server at about €35.99/month (server only, excl. VAT). License: GPL-3.0, which allows internal business use.
Last updated · facts verified against official docs on · sources
Activity data comes from GitHub and was last refreshed Oct 22, 2026.
What is MaxKB?
MaxKB ("Max Knowledge Brain") lets you upload documents or crawl web docs, builds a RAG knowledge base and serves Q&A assistants that can be embedded into other systems. It adds a workflow engine and tool calling for agent-style apps and works with local or hosted models.
Where it fits in a 10–200 person business
- Internal HR or IT helpdesk answering from policy documents
- Website chat widget grounded in product documentation
- Searchable assistant for contracts or technical manuals
These use cases are our editorial suggestions, not claims made by the project.
Can a business use MaxKB? (license)
| License | GPL-3.0 |
|---|---|
| Type | Copyleft (GPL): Free to use; distributing modified versions requires sharing source. |
| Internal business use | Allowed under the license text |
| What to watch | Free to use internally and commercially. If you distribute a modified version, you must release its source under GPL-3.0. |
This is a plain-English summary of the license text, not legal advice. Third-party models you run with it have their own licenses.
What hardware does MaxKB need?
| Minimum | 4 vCPU · 8 GB RAM · 100 GB disk |
|---|---|
| Recommended | Not published |
Official server requirements are Ubuntu 22.04 or CentOS 7 (kernel 3.10+), 4 cores / 8 GB or more, and 100 GB disk.
Source: docs.fit2cloud.com/maxkb/installation/offline_installtion
How much does it cost to host MaxKB per month?
| Minimum spec | 4 vCPU · 8 GB RAM · 100 GB disk → CPX32 (4 vCPU, 8 GB, 160 GB disk) €35.99/mo |
|---|
How we got this: we took the cheapest Hetzner Cloud Regular Performance (shared AMD vCPU) plan with at least the RAM and vCPU the project lists, using prices read from www.hetzner.com/cloud/regular-performance on 2026-10-22. "From" monthly price cap shown by Hetzner, excluding VAT. Prices vary by location. Covers the server only; it excludes LLM API usage, backups, extra storage, GPUs and your time. Disk is not matched; add a volume if you need more than the plan includes.
How to deploy MaxKB
Method: Docker
docker run -d --name=maxkb --restart=always -p 8080:8080 \
-v ~/.maxkb:/opt/maxkb 1panel/maxkb
# web UI on :8080, default login admin / MaxKB@123..From the official instructions: github.com/1Panel-dev/MaxKB#quick-start. Always check the source for the current version before you run it.
Known gotchas when self-hosting MaxKB
Alternatives in Knowledge base & RAG
- RAGFlow RAG engine with deep document parsing (OCR, layout and tables) and cited answers. Compare MaxKB vs RAGFlow
- AnythingLLM All-in-one private chat with your documents, agents and an embeddable widget. Compare AnythingLLM vs MaxKB
- PrivateGPT API-first private document Q&A that sits on top of your own LLM server. Compare MaxKB vs PrivateGPT
- Onyx (formerly Danswer) AI chat and enterprise search connected to 50+ workplace apps. Compare MaxKB vs Onyx (formerly Danswer)
- FastGPT Knowledge-base Q&A and visual AI workflow platform. Compare FastGPT vs MaxKB
MaxKB FAQ
How much RAM does MaxKB need?
The official minimum is 4 vCPU · 8 GB RAM · 100 GB disk. Official server requirements are Ubuntu 22.04 or CentOS 7 (kernel 3.10+), 4 cores / 8 GB or more, and 100 GB disk.
How much does it cost to self-host MaxKB?
The software is free to download. Based on the official minimum 4 vCPU · 8 GB RAM · 100 GB disk: That fits a Hetzner Cloud CPX32 server at about €35.99/month (server only, excl. VAT). That covers the server only, not LLM API usage, backups, extra storage or your time.
Is MaxKB free for commercial use?
MaxKB is licensed under GPL-3.0 (Copyleft (GPL)). Internal business use is allowed under the license text. Free to use internally and commercially. If you distribute a modified version, you must release its source under GPL-3.0. This is a summary, not legal advice.
What are common problems when self-hosting MaxKB?
Ships with a default admin password (MaxKB@123..). Change it right after the first login. The docs recommend the offline installer for production and warn that old Docker versions can make installation fail (use Docker 26.0.0+).
Is MaxKB still maintained?
Yes, it is actively developed. Last commit: Oct 21, 2026. Latest release: v2.10.8-lts (Oct 22, 2026). Checked Oct 22, 2026.
How do I install MaxKB?
The official method is Docker. The exact commands are in the "How to deploy" section above and in the official instructions: https://github.com/1Panel-dev/MaxKB#quick-start
What are self-hosted alternatives to MaxKB?
Other apps in Knowledge base & RAG: RAGFlow, AnythingLLM, PrivateGPT, Onyx (formerly Danswer), FastGPT.
Sources
- GitHub repository: github.com/1Panel-dev/MaxKB
- Official documentation, Hardware requirements, Gotcha 2: docs.fit2cloud.com/maxkb/installation/offline_installtion
- License text: github.com/1Panel-dev/MaxKB/blob/v2/LICENSE
- Deploy instructions, Gotcha 1: github.com/1Panel-dev/MaxKB#quick-start
- Hetzner Cloud pricing (cost estimate): www.hetzner.com/cloud/regular-performance
- GitHub stars, commits and releases: GitHub REST API, fetched
Facts on this page were checked against the project's own repository and docs on 2026-10-22. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.