FastGPT vs kotaemon
Short answer
FastGPT: Knowledge-base Q&A and visual AI workflow platform. kotaemon: Open-source RAG web app for chatting with your documents, with citations and GraphRAG. Both are in our Knowledge base & RAG category.
Choose kotaemon if you want: fewer license conditions (Permissive vs Custom / conditional) and simpler deploy (one container vs a multi-container stack).
kotaemon publishes no official RAM figure, so we cannot compare hosting cost directly.
Last updated · computed from each project's official docs and live GitHub data · sources
FastGPT vs kotaemon side by side
| FastGPT | kotaemon | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Knowledge base & RAG | Knowledge base & RAG |
| What it is | Knowledge-base Q&A and visual AI workflow platform. | Open-source RAG web app for chatting with your documents, with citations and GraphRAG. |
| License | FastGPT Open Source License (Apache-2.0 with conditions) | Apache-2.0 |
| License type | Custom / conditional | Permissive |
| License conditions | Commercial use is allowed. You need a commercial license to run a multi-tenant SaaS similar to FastGPT, or to remove or modify the logo or copyright in the console. | Permissive. Internal and commercial use allowed; keep license and notices. |
| Status | Active | Active |
| GitHub stars | 29.9k | 25.8k |
| Last commit | Oct 23, 2026 | May 30, 2026 |
| Latest release | v4.17.2 | v0.12.0 |
| Minimum hardware | 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM | Not published |
| Recommended hardware | 2 vCPU · 8 GB RAM | Not published |
| RAM measured by us | Not tested yet | Not tested yet |
| GPU | Not required / not stated | Not required / not stated |
| Est. server cost | from €19.99/mo (recommended spec: €35.99/mo) | Not estimated |
| Deploy method | Docker Compose (install script) | Docker |
| Known gotchas | 2 listed | 4 listed |
| Telemetry | Not documented | Not documented |
| Calls home by default | Not documented | Not documented |
| SSO (OIDC / SAML / LDAP) | Paid / enterprise only | Not documented |
| Audit log | Not documented | Not documented |
| RBAC | Paid / enterprise only | Not documented |
| Details | Full FastGPT guide → | Full kotaemon guide → |
Key differences
- License: FastGPT: FastGPT Open Source License (Apache-2.0 with conditions) (Custom / conditional). kotaemon: Apache-2.0 (Permissive).
- Official hardware: FastGPT: minimum 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM (recommended 2 vCPU · 8 GB RAM). kotaemon: not published.
- Est. server cost: FastGPT: from €19.99/mo. kotaemon: not estimated (no official RAM figure).
- Deploy: FastGPT: Docker Compose (install script) · multi-container stack. kotaemon: Docker · single container.
- GitHub stars: FastGPT: 29.9k. kotaemon: 25.8k.
- Last commit: FastGPT: Oct 23, 2026. kotaemon: May 30, 2026.
- Latest release: FastGPT: v4.17.2 (Oct 9, 2026). kotaemon: v0.12.0 (May 31, 2026).
Same for both: Category: Knowledge base & RAG; GPU: not required or not stated; Status: Active.
FastGPT vs kotaemon: FAQ
FastGPT or kotaemon: which should a small business choose?
Choose kotaemon if you want: fewer license conditions (Permissive vs Custom / conditional) and simpler deploy (one container vs a multi-container stack). kotaemon publishes no official RAM figure, so we cannot compare hosting cost directly.
Which is cheaper to self-host, FastGPT or kotaemon?
FastGPT: from €19.99/mo. kotaemon: not estimated (no official RAM figure). Our estimate is the cheapest Hetzner Cloud plan that meets each project's official RAM and vCPU figure; it covers the server only.
How much hardware do FastGPT and kotaemon need?
FastGPT: minimum 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM (recommended 2 vCPU · 8 GB RAM). kotaemon: not published.
What is the license difference between FastGPT and kotaemon?
FastGPT: FastGPT Open Source License (Apache-2.0 with conditions) (Custom / conditional). Commercial use is allowed. You need a commercial license to run a multi-tenant SaaS similar to FastGPT, or to remove or modify the logo or copyright in the console. kotaemon: Apache-2.0 (Permissive). Permissive. Internal and commercial use allowed; keep license and notices. This is a summary, not legal advice.
Is FastGPT or kotaemon more actively maintained?
FastGPT: Active, last commit Oct 23, 2026. kotaemon: Active, last commit May 30, 2026. GitHub data refreshed Oct 23, 2026.
Which is easier to deploy, FastGPT or kotaemon?
FastGPT installs via Docker Compose (install script) (multi-container stack); kotaemon via Docker (single container). FastGPT lists 2 known gotchas and kotaemon lists 4; see each app page.
Related
- FastGPT self-hosting guide · kotaemon self-hosting guide
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- All kotaemon alternatives, ranked
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- kotaemon vs MaxKB
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- kotaemon vs Open Notebook
- Add a third app in the interactive comparison
Sources
- FastGPT GitHub repository: github.com/labring/FastGPT
- FastGPT documentation, FastGPT hardware requirements: doc.fastgpt.io/self-host/deploy/docker
- FastGPT license: github.com/labring/FastGPT/blob/main/LICENSE
- FastGPT deploy instructions: github.com/labring/FastGPT#readme
- kotaemon GitHub repository: github.com/Cinnamon/kotaemon
- kotaemon documentation: cinnamon.github.io/kotaemon/
- kotaemon license: github.com/Cinnamon/kotaemon/blob/main/LICENSE.txt
- kotaemon hardware requirements, kotaemon deploy instructions: github.com/Cinnamon/kotaemon#readme
- Hetzner Cloud pricing used for cost estimates (read 2026-10-22): www.hetzner.com/cloud/regular-performance
- GitHub REST API (stars, commits, releases): docs.github.com/en/rest
Every value is generated from the same verified data as the app pages. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.