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
Search all my company documents
Ask questions across folders of files.
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: Search all my company documents?
Reviewed Oct 2026
- Privacy: Local winsFiles need not be copied to a new vendor
- Cost: Local winsNo extra seat fee on top of the hardware
- Quality: Cloud winsHosted search covers mail and chat, not just a folder
- Ease: Cloud winsIt is already signed in at work
Local AI
A local app such as AnythingLLM can search a folder of company files that never gets uploaded.
- The files stay on a machine you control
- Good for a shared drive you already have
- No per-seat AI price
Where it falls short
- You administer the index yourself
- It is weaker across a whole company's cloud drive
Cloud & apps
Copilot and Glean search the Microsoft or company cloud you already pay for.
- GGleanCloud APIPaid
A company search box across the apps a larger team already uses.
Best for: Large teams
It indexes your company apps
- MMicrosoft 365 CopilotCloud AIPaidPopular choice
Searches the mail, files and chats a company already keeps in Microsoft 365.
Best for: Company search
Questions run inside your tenant
Our take
Search a private file share locally. Use the company's cloud search when the documents already live in Microsoft 365.
Choose local if…
- The files are confidential
- They are a folder you control
Choose cloud if…
- The company is already on Microsoft 365
- You need mail and chat too
How to do it in 3 steps
- Open the model page and pick any app under Runs in, for example AnythingLLM or Open WebUI. Each app page links to that maker's own guide.
- Open the bge-m3 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 work & office. These are normal links to the maker's site.
Microsoft 365
Documents, spreadsheets, and mail for everyday office work.
Microsoft 365LibreOffice
A free office suite for documents, sheets, and slides.
LibreOfficeStandard Notes
A private notes app with plain text and a paid extended version.
Standard Notes