Open WebUI users hunt leaner rival

Open WebUI is running into the classic all-in-one ceiling: once a chat UI also tries to be a search layer, RAG app, and plugin host, some users start wanting a thinner shell around their models. This thread reads like a market signal for lighter self-hosted frontends that keep Docker simplicity but cut the baggage.

• –LibreChat looks like the closest feature-complete substitute: Docker-first, web search, RAG, file uploads, and MCP.
• –AnythingLLM is stronger for document-heavy workflows and local knowledge bases, especially if PDFs are central.
• –Jan feels like the leaner, desktop-first escape hatch if speed and simplicity matter more than perfect web-app parity.
• –The lone comment suggests a more modular future: build a small custom UI on top of llama.cpp, Docling, or Pandoc instead of adopting another monolith.