KoboldAI Lite
KoboldAI Lite is a lightweight web interface for KoboldCpp, KoboldAI Client, and AI Horde.
What KoboldAI Lite is
KoboldAI Lite is a lightweight web interface for KoboldCpp, KoboldAI Client, and AI Horde. It works without dependencies, installation, or setup and is bundled with KoboldCpp distributions. Writers can choose Story, Chat, Instruct, or Adventure modes, with Classic, Messenger, and Aesthetic styles available in some modes. The interface supports providers including AI Horde, KoboldAI/KoboldCpp API, OpenAI-compatible services, Google Gemini, OpenRouter, Cohere, and Claude-compatible APIs. Its online version runs in a browser but does not host models or provide an API, so generation needs a provider or local/self-hosted API. Stories are kept in the browser; downloading a JSON save helps avoid losing them if cookies are deleted. Imports include KoboldAI JSON, KAISTORY saves, character cards, world information, and raw text. The free online hosted version costs nothing. KoboldAI Lite source code is licensed under AGPLv3. AI Horde users should avoid identifiable information because a story is sent to a random volunteer who may see it.
Good
- No dependencies, installation, or setup required
- Four modes include Story and Adventure
- Imports character cards, world info, and raw text
- Local KoboldCpp can run offline
- Free online hosted version costs nothing
Watch out
- Online version does not host models or provide an API
- Browser-stored stories can be lost if cookies are deleted
- AI Horde volunteers may be able to see submitted stories
- Some UI styles are unavailable in certain modes
Who it suits
It suits writers who want story, chat, instruction, or adventure modes with a provider or local API. It may also suit users who want to run KoboldCpp offline and keep content in their browser.
Verdict
KoboldAI Lite provides several writing modes and supports a broad set of generation providers, but the online version needs a provider or local API. Save stories as JSON, and avoid identifiable details when using AI Horde.
Plans and prices
From KoboldAI Lite's own pricing page, checked 21 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | No account required · local or hosted backend required · Free online; bundled with KoboldCpp |
| KoboldAI Lite | Free | Free online hosted version; requires an AI provider or local/self-hosted API for generation |
The facts
Each one read from KoboldAI Lite's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Adventure mode
- Adventure mode supports choose-your-own-adventure interaction by narrating the result of described actions.checked 21 Oct 2026
- AI Horde integration
- Users can generate text through AI Horde workers and manage their own Horde worker from a lightweight dashboard.checked 21 Oct 2026
- AI Vision
- AI Vision uses AI Horde or a local A1111 endpoint for image interrogation, and the page says this functionality is not provided by KoboldCpp itself.checked 9 Oct 2026
- API limitation
- KoboldAI.net runs in the browser and does not provide an API or host models.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Bundling
- KoboldAI Lite is packaged with KoboldCpp and launches at the local browser address http://localhost:5001 by default.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Chat mode
- Chat mode presents an interactive character-persona conversation.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- The project publishes a dedicated API reference, feature guides, FAQ and setup documentation.checked 21 Oct 2026
- External providers
- The UI can connect to custom endpoints including OpenAI, Claude, local Kobold instances and remote Kobold instances.checked 21 Oct 2026
- File compatibility
- Supported imports include KoboldAI save formats, KAISTORY, Tavern and SillyTavern character cards, Oobabooga exports, Agnai/Tavern world info and plain text.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Image generation
- The interface can request Stable Diffusion images through AI Horde and show them inside stories.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Independent metadata
- Hugging Face hosts a KoboldAI Lite Space marked as a static app with AGPL-3.0 licensing.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The interface is a single static HTML page that needs no dependencies, installation or setup.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Instruct mode
- Instruct mode uses instruction-and-response prompting similar to ChatGPT-style workflows.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- KoboldAI.net lists AI Horde, KoboldAI/KoboldCpp API, OpenAI-compatible providers, Google Gemini, OpenRouter, Cohere, and Claude-compatible APIs among supported providers.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Interface styles
- The product offers Classic, Messenger and Aesthetic interface styles, with availability varying by mode.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Kobold API
- The documented primary generation endpoint is /api/v1/generate, with model, context-length, streaming, abort, token-count and performance endpoints also available.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Licence
- KoboldAI Lite is released under the GNU AGPL version 3.0.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: hosted privacy
- When AI Horde is used, prompts and responses travel across volunteer infrastructure and may be readable by parties at either end.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: model accuracy
- The same independent guide reports that smaller local models often forget conditions, misapply modifiers and invent rules during D&D play.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: separate backend
- An independent D&D guide says Lite supplies narration but requires a separate model backend and does not include dice, character sheets or a rules engine.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: speech errors
- A public KoboldCpp issue records Lite Whisper voice-input failures returning service-unavailable errors during SSE streaming and text generation.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Local privacy
- The maker says KoboldCpp can run offline without sending inputs elsewhere, and the Lite UI stores content locally in the browser.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Modes
- It offers Story, Chat, Instruct, and Adventure modes.checked 9 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Limit: app-store availability
- A community warning says KoboldAI/KoboldCpp has no official Google Play app and identifies purported store listings as fake.checked 21 Oct 2026
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