01
What is actually included in the free version?
Alternatives guide / 2026
Best Onyx Alternatives in 2026
Onyx is an open-source enterprise search and AI assistant. This guide compares alternatives to the platform, their features, deployment model, and which teams they suit best.
01 / evaluating alternatives
Key trade-offs to consider
Onyx is one of the more popular open-source enterprise AI search platforms. Teams evaluating alternatives often weigh these factors:
- Permission syncing and other enterprise controls can depend on the plan and connector. Check what the free version includes before choosing a deployment.
- Onyx was originally built on Vespa and is moving its search layer toward OpenSearch. Teams building on that layer may need to revisit integration points as it changes.
- Both Vespa and OpenSearch use the JVM, which calls for skills in heap sizing and garbage-collection tuning beyond general software deployment.
- The preferred Standard footprint is 8+ CPU cores and 16+ GB RAM before indexed-data growth.
02 / Evaluation checklist
What to look for in an Onyx alternative
Before you compare tools, decide what matters for your team.
02
Which applications does it connect to?
03
How many resources are needed to deploy and operate it?
04
How simple is it to deploy?
05
Does it support automation of tasks or just chat?
06
Where is your data physically hosted?
07
How easy to use is the day-to-day interface?
08
How does the pricing compare with Onyx?
03 / Alternatives
Onyx Alternatives
Omni
Omni is an open-source, Apache 2.0-licensed alternative to Onyx built entirely on PostgreSQL. It connects everyday workplace tools such as Google Workspace and Jira and includes permission-aware search in its free, self-hosted version. Standalone Python, TypeScript, and Rust SDKs make it easier to build connectors and contribute.
- Best for
- Mid-sized teams looking for an Onyx-like self-hosting model with a lighter database stack to operate.
- License
- Apache 2.0
- Pricing
- Free self-hosted; Business $10/user/month billed annually ($15 monthly).
- Trade-off to consider
- Onyx offers more ready-made connectors and a hosted cloud option; Omni is still expanding in those areas.
Glean
Glean is a popular enterprise AI search platform with many connectors and an Enterprise Graph that maps relationships between company data for more context-aware answers. It is a vendor-managed product, including when operated in a customer’s AWS or GCP account. Permission enforcement is included.
- Best for
- Large enterprises looking for a managed product with broad integrations and willing to pay a premium.
- License
- Proprietary
- Pricing
- Pricing on request; Glean does not publish list pricing.
- Trade-off to consider
- It is not open source or independently self-hostable, and pricing is available only through sales.
GoSearch
GoSearch is a closed-source, cloud-based enterprise search product with a free tier for basic AI search.
- Best for
- Teams looking for cloud-based search without operating their own server.
- License
- Proprietary
- Pricing
- Free tier; Pro $20/user/month; Enterprise pricing on request.
- Trade-off to consider
- It is not a self-hosted, open-source alternative to Onyx.
Dust
Dust is a platform for building and sharing custom AI agents connected to tools such as Notion, GitHub, and Salesforce. Unlike Onyx, it focuses less on traditional document search and more on agents teams can share across departments.
- Best for
- Teams looking to use custom AI agents across departments rather than just grounded document search.
- License
- Proprietary hosted service
- Pricing
- Free tier; paid plans published by the vendor; Enterprise is custom.
- Trade-off to consider
- It is not a traditional document-search tool or an open-source, self-hosted replacement for Onyx.
Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft 365 Copilot is Microsoft AI assistance built directly into Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It is a closed, cloud-only, fully managed product with no self-hosting options.
- Best for
- Organizations working heavily in the Microsoft ecosystem that want AI assistance inside the tools they already use.
- License
- Proprietary
- Pricing
- $30/user/month with an annual commitment (published).
- Trade-off to consider
- It has no self-hosting option and is most useful to teams already working in Microsoft 365.
AnythingLLM
AnythingLLM is an MIT-licensed workspace for chatting with documents grouped by project or team.
- Best for
- Smaller teams that need a document-chat workspace rather than company-wide enterprise search.
- License
- MIT
- Pricing
- Self-hosted software is free; hosted and enterprise options vary.
- Trade-off to consider
- It is aimed at smaller document-chat setups, not the same breadth of enterprise search as Onyx.
04 / Open source and self-hosted
Open source and self-hosted Onyx alternatives
There are open-source and self-hosted alternatives available for Onyx. Be careful with tools that call themselves open source but use restricted licenses: always check the license file in their repository.
- Omni: an open-source alternative with free-tier permission inheritance.
- AnythingLLM: an MIT-licensed workspace that groups documents by project or team.
- LibreChat: a self-hosted AI chat platform with a privacy-first interface and support for multiple AI models.
05 / Comparison table
Onyx alternatives compared: full table
If a fact is not published, the table says so instead of guessing.
| Product | License | Free version | Permissions | Server needs | Connectors | Deployment | Public price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omni | Apache 2.0 | Permission-aware search and agents | Included in open-source core | 4 CPU cores / 8 GB RAM | 20+ connectors | Self-hosted | Free self-hosted; Business $10/user/month annually ($15 monthly) |
| Onyx | MIT core and separate paid license | Chat, RAG search, custom agents | Check paid-plan and connector requirements | Lite mode available; Standard preferred: 8+ CPU / 16+ GB | 40+ marketed | Self-hosted; Onyx Cloud available | Free self-hosted; Business $20/user/month annually |
| Glean | Proprietary | No free tier | Included | Vendor-managed | 100+ | Vendor-operated cloud or customer AWS/GCP | Not published |
| GoSearch | Proprietary | Basic AI search | Not published | Vendor-managed SaaS | 100+ | Cloud | Free tier; Pro $20/user/month; Enterprise pricing on request |
| Dust | Proprietary | Free tier | Not published | Vendor-managed | Not published | Cloud | See vendor for current plans |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot | Proprietary | None; Microsoft 365 add-on license | Runs within Microsoft 365 access controls | Managed SaaS | Microsoft 365 ecosystem | Microsoft cloud only | $30/user/month, annual commitment |
| AnythingLLM | MIT | Workspace document chat | Workspace-level controls | Depends on model and corpus | Smaller document-focused set | Self-hosted or hosted | Self-hosted software is free |
06 / Migration
How to migrate from Onyx to an alternative
Your documents stay where they are — the new tool simply re-indexes them. Chat history and custom agents usually do not carry over, so plan to rebuild those.
- List the apps connected to Onyx and check that the new tool supports them.
- Run both tools side by side for two weeks with a small test group before turning Onyx off.
- Rebuild custom agents and settings before moving everyone over.
07 / FAQs
FAQs
Is there an open-source alternative to Onyx?
Yes. Open-source alternatives to Onyx include Omni and AnythingLLM. Omni includes permission-aware search in its free core; AnythingLLM is an MIT-licensed document-chat workspace.
Why do teams switch away from Onyx?
Teams may need permission syncing, SSO, or RBAC features that depend on Onyx’s paid plans. Others are weighing the move from Vespa toward OpenSearch and the work of running and tuning a JVM-based search layer.
What does Onyx’s free Community Edition include?
As of September 2026, the free Community Edition includes chat with RAG, Deep Research, custom agents, 40+ built-in connectors, sandboxed code execution, and deployment via Docker or Kubernetes. Check Onyx’s current plan documentation for enterprise controls such as SSO, RBAC, and permission syncing.
What is the cheapest Onyx alternative?
Open-source tools such as Omni and AnythingLLM are free to license when self-hosted, though you still pay for servers and model usage. Omni Business is listed at $10 per user/month billed annually ($15 monthly), compared with Onyx Business at $20 per user/month annually.
Can I migrate from Onyx without losing my data?
Your source documents stay in their original systems and can be re-indexed by the new tool. Chat history, custom prompts, agents, and permission settings generally do not carry over, so plan to rebuild them.
Ready to evaluate?
Choose the operating model your team can live with
Start with Omni Community, compare it against your current Onyx workflows, and decide based on your own sources, permissions, and operating constraints.