# Lance vs llama.cpp

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | Lance | llama.cpp |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 49/100 | 93/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #53 of 125 in AI | #2 of 25 in LLM Inference |
| GitHub stars | 1 361 | 132 669 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +3 312 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 1461 ✓ |
| Latest release | — | b11972 · 28 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Python | C++ |

## Which one should you pick?

llama.cpp scores 93/100 against 49/100 for Lance, so it is the safer default.

llama.cpp ships more often: 1461 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Lance.

If you want the quickest setup, llama.cpp is easier to run; Lance needs more configuration.

llama.cpp is growing faster right now (+3 312 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Lance](https://selfhost.directory/project/lance) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/lance.md)
- [llama.cpp](https://selfhost.directory/project/llamacpp) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/llamacpp.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/lance-vs-llamacpp