NanoGPT + Open WebUI Setup: Self-Hosted AI Interface

Open WebUI gives you a ChatGPT-like interface that runs on your own machine. pair it with NanoGPT and you get 400+ models without giving anyone your data.

TL;DR: install Open WebUI with Docker, add your NanoGPT API key, pick models. 10-minute setup, works on Mac, Linux, and Windows.

👉 Get NanoGPT with 5% discount — you'll need an API key for this setup.

Why Open WebUI?

Open WebUI (formerly Ollama WebUI) is the most popular open-source AI chat interface. it's clean, fast, and actively maintained.

Open WebUI vs Alternatives

FeatureOpen WebUILibreChatChatGPTNanoGPT Web
Self-hostedYesYesNoNo
Open-sourceYesYesNoNo
Multi-modelYesYesLimitedYes
Mobile UIExcellentGoodGoodBasic
RAG supportYesYesYesNo
Image genYesYesYesNo
User managementYesYesN/ANo
Setup difficultyEasyMediumNoneNone

Open WebUI is easier to set up than LibreChat and has a more polished mobile experience. LibreChat has more plugins and customization. pick based on your priorities.

Prerequisites

you need:

  1. NanoGPT account with API key (sign up here)
  2. Docker Desktop installed (or Docker Engine on Linux)
  3. 5-10 minutes

Install Docker

Mac/Windows: download Docker Desktop

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
# log out and back in

Installation Methods

Method 1: Docker Run (Simplest)

docker run -d -p 3000:8080 \
  --add-host=host.docker.internal:host-gateway \
  -v open-webui:/app/backend/data \
  --name open-webui \
  --restart always \
  ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:main

create a file called docker-compose.yml:

version: '3.8'
services:
  open-webui:
    image: ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:main
    ports:
      - "3000:8080"
    volumes:
      - open-webui:/app/backend/data
    environment:
      - WEBUI_AUTH=true
    restart: always

volumes:
  open-webui:

then run:

docker compose up -d

Access Open WebUI

open your browser and go to:

http://localhost:3000

create your admin account on first visit.

Connecting NanoGPT

Step 1: Open Settings

click your profile icon (bottom left) → Settings → Connections

Step 2: Add OpenAI API Connection

under OpenAI API, click the + button and fill in:

  • API Base URL: https://api.nano-gpt.com/v1
  • API Key: your NanoGPT API key

click Save.

Step 3: Verify Connection

go back to the chat interface. in the model dropdown, you should see NanoGPT models listed. if you see models like gpt-4o, claude-3-5-sonnet, etc., you're connected.

Step 4: Select a Model

pick a model from the dropdown and send a test message:

Hello! Can you confirm which model you are?

if you get a response, setup is complete.

Model Configuration

Adding Custom Models

if models don't appear automatically:

  1. go to Settings → Models
  2. click Add Model
  3. enter:
    • Model ID: e.g., gpt-4o
    • Base URL: https://api.nano-gpt.com/v1
    • API Key: your NanoGPT key
  4. save
Model NameUse CaseSettings
GPT-4oGeneral, codeDefault
Claude 3.5 SonnetWriting, analysisDefault
GPT-4o-miniQuick questionsDefault
DeepSeek V3Budget codingDefault
Gemini 1.5 ProLong documentsDefault

see our model recommendations for the full list.

Model Presets

Open WebUI supports model presets. create presets for different tasks:

  1. start a new chat
  2. select your model
  3. click the gear icon next to the model
  4. set:
    • Temperature: 0.7 (balanced) or 0.3 (focused)
    • Max tokens: 2048 (or as needed)
    • System prompt: your preferred default
  5. save as preset

Advanced Features

RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)

Open WebUI supports document upload and RAG:

  1. click the + button in chat
  2. upload a PDF, text file, or document
  3. ask questions about the document
  4. the model uses the document as context

this works with any NanoGPT model that supports long contexts (Gemini 1.5 Pro is best for this).

Open WebUI can search the web and include results in the AI's context:

  1. go to Settings → Web Search
  2. enable web search
  3. configure search provider (SearXNG, Google, etc.)
  4. the AI can now search and cite sources

Multi-User Setup

for sharing with others:

  1. go to Settings → Admin → Users
  2. enable user registration (or invite manually)
  3. each user gets their own conversation history
  4. all users share the NanoGPT API key

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

ProblemCauseFix
No models showingAPI connection not configuredCheck Settings → Connections
"Invalid API key"Wrong key or URLVerify key at NanoGPT dashboard
Slow responsesModel or networkTry a faster model (GPT-4o-mini)
Docker won't startPort conflictChange port: -p 3001:8080
Can't access from phoneFirewallOpen port 3000 in firewall
Blank pageBrowser cacheHard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R)

Docker Commands

# check status
docker ps

# view logs
docker logs open-webui

# restart
docker restart open-webui

# update to latest version
docker pull ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:main
docker stop open-webui
docker rm open-webui
# re-run the original docker run command

# or with compose
docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

API Connection Test

test your NanoGPT key outside Open WebUI:

curl https://api.nano-gpt.com/v1/models \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your-api-key"

if this returns model data, the issue is in Open WebUI configuration. if it errors, the issue is with your NanoGPT account or key.

see our API key setup guide for more troubleshooting.

Open WebUI vs LibreChat

i've used both extensively. here's my take:

AspectOpen WebUILibreChatWinner
Setup easeEasierHarderOpen WebUI
UI polishBetterGoodOpen WebUI
Mobile experienceExcellentDecentOpen WebUI
Plugin ecosystemGrowingLargerLibreChat
CustomizationGoodExcellentLibreChat
Multi-userGoodBetterLibreChat
DocumentationGoodBetterLibreChat
Update frequencyWeeklyWeeklyTie

my pick: Open WebUI for personal use. LibreChat for teams or if you need heavy customization.

see our LibreChat setup guide for the alternative.

Open WebUI + NanoGPT FAQ

Is Open WebUI free?

yes. completely free and open-source. you only pay for AI usage through NanoGPT.

Can I run Open WebUI on a Raspberry Pi?

yes. it runs fine on a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 with 4GB+ RAM. the UI is lightweight — the heavy lifting happens on NanoGPT's servers.

Does Open WebUI work on Windows?

yes. install Docker Desktop for Windows, then follow the same Docker commands. works on Windows 10/11 with WSL2.

Can I access Open WebUI from my phone?

yes. if it's running on your local network, access it via your computer's IP address: http://192.168.x.x:3000. for remote access, set up a VPN or reverse proxy.

How do I update Open WebUI?

docker pull ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:main
docker stop open-webui
docker rm open-webui
# re-run the docker run command

or with Docker Compose:

docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

Is my data private?

yes. Open WebUI runs locally. your conversations are stored on your machine. the only external connection is to NanoGPT's API when you send a message.

My Setup Experience

i've been running Open WebUI + NanoGPT for two months on a mini PC (Intel N100, 16GB RAM). it's my daily driver for AI chat.

pros: fast UI, great mobile experience, easy model switching, my data stays local.

cons: occasional Docker issues after updates, RAG setup requires extra configuration.

total cost: $6-8/month for NanoGPT credits. compared to $20/month for ChatGPT Plus with worse privacy, it's a clear win.

👉 Start with NanoGPT

Last updated: July 2026

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you sign up through our referral link, you get a 5% discount and we earn a small commission. This doesn't affect our reviews — we pay for all services ourselves.