Not on the chat board
The search piece for your files. It finds the right page. A chat model writes the answer.
Runs in:
Fits on:
· needs ~1.2 GB · Free to download · License: MIT
Chat with my own files
Private search over a folder.
The tools below run on your computer. Most of them are free, and the local work stays on your machine.
Works offline · Free options
Your computer
Describe your computer
Pick the closest line. Office PC and Mini PC are estimates. Linux and a home server stay in the list. We guess the specs, then hide models that would not fit. The guess stays cautious.
4 results
Most tools here are free.
Study & School Open WebUI
A browser window for local chat and documents.
Installer only · Some setup · Free
AnythingLLM
A desktop app for chatting with your own documents.
Installer only · One-click app · Free
Work & Office Not on the chat board
A lighter search piece if your files are mostly English.
Runs in:Fits on:· needs ~0.3 GB · Free to download · License: Apache 2.0
HONEST COMPARISON
Local or cloud: Chat with my own files?
Reviewed Oct 2026
- Privacy: Local winsThe folder never has to be uploaded
- Cost: TieNotebookLM and a local app can both start free
- Quality: Cloud winsHosted notebooks cite the page more tightly
- Ease: Cloud winsUpload is less setup than an index
Local AI
Chatting with your own files is a local strength. AnythingLLM and Open WebUI are built for it.
- The folder stays on a machine you control
- Follow-up questions work after the index is built
- No per-question fee
Where it falls short
- You set up the index
- Citations are looser than a hosted notebook
Cloud & apps
NotebookLM and ChatGPT are easier, and the files are uploaded.
- CChatGPTCloud AIFreemium
Drop a few files in a chat if they are fine to share.
Best for: A few files
Files are uploaded
- NNotebookLMAppFreePopular choice
The cleanest quotes back to your uploads.
Best for: QuotesBriefings
Files are uploaded to Google
Our take
Chat with private files locally. Use NotebookLM when the files can be uploaded and you want tighter quotes.
Choose local if…
- The files are private
- You have more than a handful
Choose cloud if…
- You want tight quotes
- You only have a few shareable files
How to do it in 3 steps
- Open the model page and pick any app under Runs in, for example AnythingLLM or Ollama. Each app page links to that maker's own guide.
- Open the nomic-embed-text page and check the traffic light for a few kinds of computer.
- Follow that official guide. This site does not add its own install steps.
Questions
- Does this upload my files?
- The local tools on this page don't upload your files. The cloud options in the comparison do.
- What does it cost?
- Most options are free. A few apps are a one-time purchase, and a few models need a computer with more memory.
- What if it will not fit?
- Use Check my computer, or turn on the lighter memory filters. A red light on the model page means the file is too big.
Not into local AI? Try these instead
Ordinary apps for code & tech. These are normal links to the maker's site.