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✦ Free & open sourceGraphic Design

SwarmUI

A modular web interface for generating images, video and some audio with Stable Diffusion, Flux and other models.

SwarmUI: modular web UI for image models

Script installers for Windows, Linux and Apple-silicon Macs, with Docker, Colab and cloud GPU options.

Free forever · open source · MIT
✓ Light setup✓ Browser-based✓ Real-time collaboration
7.8
ZEKAI
Easy script-installed web UI
Free & open source · Graphic Design
Ease of setup7
Usefulness7
Maintenance9.5
Community7.5
★ 4,783
GITHUB
Nov 2026
UPDATED
MIT
LICENSE
🛠 Don't want to self-host? We can set it up →
⚡ Quick answer

SwarmUI is an MIT-licensed web interface for local AI image generation, formerly named StableSwarmUI. It suits beginners and experts who want a script-installed UI covering Stable Diffusion, Flux and video models.

Runs on
Web
Hosting
Self-host
Languages
C#
License
MIT

What it is

You run install-windows.bat or install-linux.sh, or the macOS launch script on M-series Macs, and open the web interface. The README says it supports image and video models, some audio models, and can run in Docker, on Google Colab or on rented GPUs such as Runpod and Vast.ai.

Who it's for

It suits people who want a friendlier front end than raw node graphs and are comfortable with a beta-stage tool. It does not suit anyone who needs a stable 1.0 release or hosted support.

Key features

Script installers

install-windows.bat and install-linux.sh set it up for you.

Many model types

Stable Diffusion, Flux, video models and some audio models.

Cloud GPU options

Docs cover Docker, Google Colab, Runpod and Vast.ai.

Apple silicon support

macOS runs only on M-series Macs via a launch script.

MIT licence

SwarmUI itself is MIT, though connected projects may carry GPL variants.

Modular design

Described as a modular, extensible web interface.

How to start

Up and running in 3 steps

1
Clone or download https://github.com/mcmonkeyprojects/SwarmUI.
2
Run install-windows.bat on Windows, install-linux.sh on Linux, or the macOS launch script on an M-series Mac.
3
Open the web interface it starts, download a model it offers and generate your first image.
Real talk

Our honest verdict

What's great

  • MIT licence on SwarmUI itself, which is permissive for commercial use.
  • Install scripts for Windows and Linux mean you do not assemble dependencies by hand.
  • Covers image, video and some audio models in one interface.
  • The README documents Docker, Colab and rented-GPU routes if you lack a local card.

Where it falls short

  • The README labels it Almost-Release at v0.9.8 Beta, so expect rough edges.
  • It needs Python 3.11 or 3.12 and .NET, and the README warns against Python 3.14 or later.
  • The README gives no GPU or VRAM requirement; model size decides what your card can run.
  • Some uses are affected by the GPL-variant licences of connected projects, and every model has its own licence.
Cost

Pricing & license

Free under the MIT licence. The only cost is your own hardware or any cloud GPU you rent to run it; the project shows no paid plan.

Paid work

Open remote AI-training roles

767 open remote AI-training roles, updated November 14, 2026; most pay $20–$175 an hour. Zekai lists them free; the application goes to the employer’s platform.

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Questions

FAQ

Does SwarmUI run on Intel Macs?

No. The README says you can only run it on Mac computers with M-series Apple silicon processors.

Is SwarmUI free for commercial use?

SwarmUI is MIT-licensed. The README notes that connected projects may use GPL-variant licences and that each model has its own licence.

Can I run it without my own GPU?

The README documents Google Colab and cloud GPU providers such as Runpod and Vast.ai as alternatives to a local card.

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