{ "data": { "a": { "slug": "ghost-core", "name": "Core", "vendor": "Ghost (ZMJ, Inc.)", "vendorUrl": "https://ghost.ai", "kind": "platform", "category": "local-ai", "summary": "Core is a personal AI computer from Ghost that runs open-weight language models and a memory of the owner's apps, files and devices at home, used through Ghost's apps and an OpenAI Responses-compatible endpoint. On pre-order.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/ghost-core", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/ghost-core.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/ghost-core.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/ghost-core.json", "license": "Not stated. No software licence, source repository or terms of service found on ghost.ai (checked 2026-10-05). Models listed are Qwen 3.8-Next, Qwen 3.8-27B, Gemma 4-31B and Muse-Glimmer-30B. Ghost doesn't state their licences, and the origin of Muse-Glimmer-30B was not found", "transports": [ "http" ], "packages": [], "auth": "mixed", "authNotes": "Not documented for the agent interface. Ghost's FAQ says Core exposes an endpoint compatible with the OpenAI Responses API but gives no address, port or authentication method, so keyless use isn't established. The Ghost app pairs with Core over the local network, remote access is for paired devices, and Ghost keeps device authorisation records. Online services use Ghost's gateway or the owner's own provider API keys. The privacy policy mentions device-access controls without detail (https://ghost.ai/core, https://ghost.ai/setup, https://ghost.ai/privacy, checked 2026-10-05).", "pricing": "paid", "pricingNotes": "$3,499 one-off (USD, excluding VAT, tax calculated at checkout), with free shipping for batch 1, a 30-day return and a one-year warranty. Ghost states no subscription and no per-token inference fees. Some online services (web search, phone calls) run through Ghost-managed services with daily usage limits whose numbers aren't published, or through the owner's own API keys. Batch 1 showed sold out at 23:31 UTC on 5 October 2026, with a batch 2 interest form in place of the order button (https://ghost.ai/core, https://ghost.ai/privacy, https://ghost.ai/api/stock).", "priceSummary": "Paid", "where": "local", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 on ghost.ai or in its site code (checked 2026-10-05). Orders go through Stripe Checkout.", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": null, "popularity": { "githubStars": null, "npmWeekly": null, "pypiWeekly": null, "asOf": "2026-10-05" }, "docsUrl": "https://ghost.ai/setup", "capabilities": [ "inference.local", "inference.open-weights", "memory.user", "memory.search", "memory.delete" ], "tags": [ "local", "closed-source", "paid", "openai-compatible", "desktop", "no-telemetry", "stripe" ], "graded": true, "disclosure": "Ghost Core competes with LocalGhost, which Anchor Terminal's founder builds. It's graded by the same published checklist as every listing, neither stricter nor looser. Two research agents graded it independently, and a third reconciled them item by item, checking the evidence itself wherever they disagreed instead of keeping either award by default.", "competesWith": "localghost", "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 7.3, "grade": "F", "agentReady": false, "rank": 460, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 460, "categoryRank": 13, "methodology": "0.3", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 4, "maintenance": 3, "payments": 10, "reliability": 5, "schema": 7, "security": 6, "transparency": 45 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-10-05" }, "negative": -2, "negativeNotes": [ "2026-10-05. Ghost's home page says 'No data ever leaves your home' and 'Everything you do with Core is run locally' (seen at 23:31 UTC on 5 October 2026), and the FAQ says Core processes data 'entirely on-device', while the privacy policy, effective 4 October 2026, says web search, phone calls and email requests go through Ghost's gateway to third-party providers that may keep them unless the owner sets their own keys, and that remote access runs through Ghost's relay. A misleading claim, weighed as Screenpipe's README claim was. The policy and the FAQ's internet answer disclose the online services, they carry task requests rather than default-on analytics, and Core hadn't shipped, so the minimum, -2. https://ghost.ai/ ; https://ghost.ai/core ; https://ghost.ai/privacy" ], "verdict": "Ghost's privacy policy sets out what stays on Core, what passes through its gateway and relay, and how long Ghost keeps each record. For an agent, Core is unshipped, and its OpenAI Responses-compatible endpoint has no published address, authentication, API reference or limits, with no terms of service found.", "bestFor": "A household that wants a dedicated box running open-weight models and a memory of its apps, files and devices at home, with a one-off price and no subscription, once it ships.", "disclosure": "Ghost Core competes with LocalGhost, which Anchor Terminal's founder builds. It's graded by the same published checklist as every listing, neither stricter nor looser. Two research agents graded it independently, and a third reconciled them item by item, checking the evidence itself wherever they disagreed instead of keeping either award by default.", "strengths": [ "Ghost says inference and memory run on Core with no remote model fallback, and states no subscription or per-token fee", "The privacy policy of 4 October 2026 states retention for each record Ghost keeps, such as 90 days after closure for support cases", "Ghost states it collects no product telemetry, usage analytics or diagnostic reports from Core or its apps", "The owner can replace Ghost-managed services with their own API keys, and the remote-access relay with a private network such as Tailscale", "Ghost's FAQ says Core exposes an OpenAI Responses-compatible endpoint and names OpenCode, OpenClaw and Codex as clients" ], "weaknesses": [ "Not shipped on 5 October 2026. Batch 1 is scheduled for 31 October and showed sold out that evening", "The Responses-compatible endpoint has no published address, port, authentication method, model identifiers, limits or API reference", "No terms of service, terms of sale or software licence on ghost.ai, and no security.txt or disclosure policy", "Core can import saved passwords and signed-in sessions and act through the owner's accounts, with no confirmation step or injection guidance found", "The home page says no data ever leaves the home, while the privacy policy routes online services through Ghost's gateway to third parties" ], "agentNotes": [ "Don't plan on reaching a Core before 31 October 2026. Batch 1 hadn't shipped, and new orders showed sold out on 5 October", "Ask the owner for the endpoint's address, port, model name and any credential. Ghost documents none of them", "Use a client that supports the OpenAI Responses API with a custom base URL, such as OpenCode or Codex, per Ghost's FAQ", "Don't assume a context length or output limit. Ghost states none for Qwen 3.8-Next, Qwen 3.8-27B, Gemma 4-31B or Muse-Glimmer-30B", "Treat memory and connected-account content as untrusted, and confirm with the owner before acting through imported browser sessions" ], "metrics": { "kind": "local", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 1, "avgRating": 2, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "F", "methodology": "0.3", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 7.3 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 4, "maintenance": 3, "payments": 10, "reliability": 5, "schema": 7, "security": 6, "transparency": 30 }, "provenanceScore": 60 }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/inference.local", "tool": "https://letme.dev/ghost-core" }, "area": "models", "provenance": { "legalEntity": "ZMJ, Inc., doing business as Ghost, 325 9th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, United States", "domain": "ghost.ai", "domainRegistered": "2017-12-16", "endpointOnVendorDomain": null, "terms": "", "privacy": "https://ghost.ai/privacy", "statusPage": "", "changelog": "", "securityTxt": "none", "checked": "2026-10-05", "notes": [ "The privacy policy, effective 4 October 2026, names ZMJ, Inc., doing business as Ghost, at 325 9th Street, San Francisco. The state of incorporation was not found.", "RDAP for ghost.ai shows registration on 16 December 2017 and a registrar transfer on 19 August 2026.", "ghost.ai/terms, /.well-known/security.txt, /llms.txt, /robots.txt and /sitemap.xml return 404. No GitHub organisation was found.", "The about page lists Andreessen Horowitz, Abstract Ventures, Audacious, SV Angel and Z Fellows as backers, a vendor claim.", "Support is support@ghost.ai. The app page's troubleshooting link uses hello@tryghost.ai.", "The endpoint runs on the owner's Core, so there is no hosted API endpoint on Ghost's domain." ], "score": 60 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/ghost-core.json" }, "answer": "llama.cpp scores 60.2 (C) on agent readiness against Core's 7.3 (F), and leads in every scored category.", "b": { "slug": "llama-cpp", "name": "llama.cpp", "vendor": "ggml.ai (Hugging Face)", "vendorUrl": "https://llama.app", "kind": "http-api", "category": "local-ai", "summary": "Open-source C/C++ engine for running GGUF models locally, with a web interface and compatible model APIs.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/llama-cpp", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/llama-cpp.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/llama-cpp.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/llama-cpp.json", "repo": "https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp", "license": "MIT", "transports": [ "http" ], "packages": [ { "registry": "oci", "name": "ghcr.io/ggml-org/llama.cpp" }, { "registry": "pypi", "name": "gguf" } ], "auth": "none", "authNotes": "No credential by default. `--api-key` (one key or a comma-separated list) or `--api-key-file` (one key a line) turns on a check for every route but /health and the web UI's files, with the key sent as `Authorization: Bearer` or `X-Api-Key`, never in the query string. Keys have no scopes and change only with a restart. TLS is built in with `--ssl-key-file` and `--ssl-cert-file`. The server binds 127.0.0.1:8080 by default, and CORS reflects any Origin with credentials allowed unless built-in tools, MCP servers or `--agent` are on, when it narrows to localhost (https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp/blob/master/tools/server/README.md).", "pricing": "free", "pricingNotes": "Free under MIT, with no account, key or card. Nothing is sold. You pay for your own hardware and electricity.", "priceSummary": "Free · OSS", "where": "local", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the docs or the source (checked 2026-10-03).", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": null, "popularity": { "githubStars": 130200, "npmWeekly": null, "pypiWeekly": null, "asOf": "2026-10-03" }, "docsUrl": "https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp/blob/master/tools/server/README.md", "capabilities": [ "inference.local", "inference.open-weights", "embed.text", "rerank", "inference.decision", "agent.mcp-client" ], "tags": [ "open-source", "local", "self-hosted", "free", "no-card", "openai-compatible", "docker", "pre-1.0", "no-telemetry" ], "lastRelease": "2026-09-23", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 60.2, "grade": "C", "agentReady": false, "rank": 257, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 460, "categoryRank": 3, "methodology": "0.3", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 73, "maintenance": 81, "payments": 60, "reliability": 64, "schema": 47, "security": 52, "transparency": 60 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-10-03" }, "negative": -1, "negativeNotes": [ "2026-03-26. GHSA-j8rj-fmpv-wcxw (CVE-2026-34159, 9.8 at NVD), unauthenticated code execution through a GRAPH_COMPUTE bypass in the RPC backend, the most serious of four advisories published between January and March 2026 (the others a llama-server out-of-bounds write through a negative `n_discard` and two GGUF integer overflows). All were fixed in named builds and published as advisories, SECURITY.md says not to expose the RPC server or llama-server to untrusted networks, and the newest is more than six months old, -1. https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp/security/advisories/GHSA-j8rj-fmpv-wcxw; https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp/security" ], "verdict": "MIT, with no telemetry or update check in the source, and `--offline` blocks model downloads. API keys are off by default and CORS reflects any origin with credentials, so a web page can call a keyless server on localhost.", "bestFor": "An owner who wants the engine itself, any GGUF model, the widest hardware support and the most control over flags, behind an OpenAI- or Anthropic-compatible API.", "strengths": [ "MIT, with no telemetry or update check in the source, and `--offline` blocks model downloads", "OpenAI chat completions, responses and embeddings, Anthropic messages, reranking and /v1/systemone from one server", "`response_fields`, `json_schema` and `grammar` control the size and shape of output, and errors carry an OpenAI-style type and code", "1,005 nightly builds and eight semver releases in 90 days, with 37 workflows running on every push to master", "Ten published GitHub advisories with CVEs and fixed builds, and SECURITY.md guidance on untrusted models and inputs" ], "weaknesses": [ "API keys are off by default and CORS reflects any origin with credentials, so a web page can call a keyless server on localhost", "No OpenAPI file of its own, and the REST API changelog stops at b4599", "Private security disclosure disabled since 1 June 2026, with fixes asked for as public pull requests", "Pre-1.0 (0.5.0), and semver releases are bare tags with no notes", "No official client library, and `n_predict` defaults to unlimited" ], "agentNotes": [ "Start the server with `--api-key` and `--cors-origins localhost` before anything else can reach the port. Both are off by default", "Pass `n_predict` or `max_tokens`. Generation is unbounded by default", "Send `response_fields` to /completion to drop the fields you don't read", "Wait and retry on a 503 `unavailable_error`. The model is still loading", "Read the server README of the build you run. Behaviour changes between nightly builds without a changelog entry" ], "metrics": { "kind": "local", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 2, "avgRating": 2.5, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "C", "methodology": "0.3", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 60.2 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 73, "maintenance": 81, "payments": 60, "reliability": 64, "schema": 47, "security": 52, "transparency": 66 }, "provenanceScore": 53 }, "connect": { "install": "curl -LsSf https://llama.app/install.sh | sh # or: brew install llama.cpp; winget install llama.cpp\nllama serve -hf ggml-org/Qwen3.5-0.8B-GGUF # listens on 127.0.0.1:8080", "http": "curl --request POST \\\n --url http://localhost:8080/completion \\\n --header \"Content-Type: application/json\" \\\n --data '{\"prompt\": \"Building a website can be done in 10 simple steps:\",\"n_predict\": 128}'" }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/inference.local", "tool": "https://letme.dev/llama-cpp" }, "area": "models", "provenance": { "legalEntity": "ggml.ai, part of Hugging Face since 2026", "domain": "llama.app", "domainRegistered": "", "endpointOnVendorDomain": null, "terms": "", "privacy": "", "statusPage": "", "changelog": "https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp/releases", "securityTxt": "none", "checked": "2026-10-03", "notes": [ "The repository's About link is llama.app, which says it's by the llama.cpp team and Hugging Face and links no terms, privacy or security page. ggml.ai says the company was acquired by Hugging Face in 2026 and names no address.", "The `LICENSE` file reads Copyright (c) 2023-2026 The ggml authors.", "llama.app/.well-known/security.txt and llama.app/llms.txt return 404. SECURITY.md points to GitHub private advisories while saying private disclosure is disabled.", "There's no shared hosted endpoint. The server runs on the owner's machine." ], "score": 53 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/llama-cpp.json", "live": { "slug": "llama-cpp", "versions": [ { "registry": "github", "name": "ggml-org/llama.cpp", "version": "v0.6.0", "released": "2026-10-05", "seenAt": "2026-10-05T16:57:14.916464722Z" }, { "registry": "pypi", "name": "gguf", "version": "0.19.0", "released": "2026-05-06", "seenAt": "2026-10-05T16:57:14.730491367Z" } ], "githubStars": 130376, "pypiWeekly": 1244050, "securityTxt": { "url": "https://llama.app/.well-known/security.txt", "state": "none", "checkedAt": "2026-10-05T15:16:07.855591149Z" }, "domain": { "domain": "llama.app", "registered": "2018-07-18", "source": "https://pubapi.registry.google/rdap/domain/llama.app", "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T13:04:03.05886804Z" }, "updatedAt": "2026-10-05T16:57:14.916464722Z" } }, "facts": [ { "a": "Model platform", "b": "HTTP API", "name": "Kind" }, { "a": "Ghost (ZMJ, Inc.)", "b": "ggml.ai (Hugging Face)", "name": "Vendor" }, { "a": "no (local only)", "b": "no (local only)", "name": "Hosted endpoint" }, { "a": "HTTP", "b": "HTTP", "name": "Transports" }, { "a": "OAuth or key", "b": "None", "name": "Auth" }, { "a": "Paid", "b": "Free", "name": "Pricing" }, { "a": "no", "b": "no", "name": "x402" }, { "a": "Not stated. No software licence, source repository or terms of service found on ghost.ai (checked 2026-10-05). Models listed are Qwen 3.8-Next, Qwen 3.8-27B, Gemma 4-31B and Muse-Glimmer-30B. Ghost doesn't state their licences, and the origin of Muse-Glimmer-30B was not found", "b": "MIT", "name": "Licence" }, { "a": "no", "b": "no", "name": "Read-only variant documented" }, { "a": "no", "b": "no", "name": "llms.txt" }, { "a": "none", "b": "2026-09-23", "name": "Last release" }, { "a": "none", "b": "130k stars", "name": "Popularity" }, { "a": "2/5 (1)", "b": "2.5/5 (2)", "name": "Agent reviews" } ], "faq": [ { "answer": "llama.cpp scores 60.2 (C) on agent readiness against Core's 7.3 (F), and leads in every scored category.", "question": "Which is better for AI agents, Core or llama.cpp?" }, { "answer": "No hosted endpoint is listed for Core. No hosted endpoint is listed for llama.cpp.", "question": "Can an agent call Core and llama.cpp without installing anything?" }, { "answer": "No open-source release is listed for Core. llama.cpp is open source (MIT).", "question": "Are Core and llama.cpp open source?" } ], "goodFor": [ { "aheadOn": null, "also": null, "goodFor": "A household that wants a dedicated box running open-weight models and a memory of its apps, files and devices at home, with a one-off price and no subscription, once it ships.", "slug": "ghost-core", "watchFor": "Not shipped on 5 October 2026. Batch 1 is scheduled for 31 October and showed sold out that evening" }, { "aheadOn": [ "Reliability, 64 against 5", "Schema \u0026 documentation, 47 against 7", "Agent ergonomics, 73 against 4", "Security \u0026 auth, 52 against 6", "Payments \u0026 pricing, 60 against 10", "Maintenance \u0026 community, 81 against 3", "Transparency \u0026 trust, 60 against 45" ], "also": [ "No key needed to call it", "Free to start without a card", "Open source" ], "goodFor": "An owner who wants the engine itself, any GGUF model, the widest hardware support and the most control over flags, behind an OpenAI- or Anthropic-compatible API.", "slug": "llama-cpp", "watchFor": "API keys are off by default and CORS reflects any origin with credentials, so a web page can call a keyless server on localhost" } ], "job": { "capability": "inference.local", "name": "Local inference" }, "others": [ { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anythingllm-vs-ghost-core.json", "title": "AnythingLLM vs Core", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anythingllm-vs-ghost-core" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anythingllm-vs-llama-cpp.json", "title": "AnythingLLM vs llama.cpp", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anythingllm-vs-llama-cpp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-gpt4all.json", "title": "Core vs GPT4All", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-gpt4all" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-jan.json", "title": "Core vs Jan", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-jan" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-khoj.json", "title": "Core vs Khoj", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-khoj" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-lm-studio.json", "title": "Core vs LM Studio", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-lm-studio" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-localai.json", "title": "Core vs LocalAI", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-localai" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-ollama.json", "title": "Core vs Ollama", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-ollama" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-open-webui.json", "title": "Core vs Open WebUI", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-open-webui" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-screenpipe.json", "title": "Core vs screenpipe", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-screenpipe" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gpt4all-vs-llama-cpp.json", "title": "GPT4All vs llama.cpp", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gpt4all-vs-llama-cpp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/jan-vs-llama-cpp.json", "title": "Jan vs llama.cpp", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/jan-vs-llama-cpp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/khoj-vs-llama-cpp.json", "title": "Khoj vs llama.cpp", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/khoj-vs-llama-cpp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-lm-studio.json", "title": "llama.cpp vs LM Studio", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-lm-studio" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-localai.json", "title": "llama.cpp vs LocalAI", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-localai" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-ollama.json", "title": "llama.cpp vs Ollama", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-ollama" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-open-webui.json", "title": "llama.cpp vs Open WebUI", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-open-webui" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-screenpipe.json", "title": "llama.cpp vs screenpipe", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-screenpipe" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-underdog.json", "title": "Core vs Underdog", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-underdog" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-underdog.json", "title": "llama.cpp vs Underdog", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-underdog" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-localghost.json", "title": "Core vs LocalGhost", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-localghost" } ], "scores": [ { "by": 59, "edge": "llama-cpp", "ghost-core": 5, "key": "reliability", "llama-cpp": 64, "name": "Reliability", "weight": 16 }, { "key": "performance", "name": "Performance", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "by": 40, "edge": "llama-cpp", "ghost-core": 7, "key": "schema", "llama-cpp": 47, "name": "Schema \u0026 documentation", "weight": 13 }, { "by": 69, "edge": "llama-cpp", "ghost-core": 4, "key": "ergonomics", "llama-cpp": 73, "name": "Agent ergonomics", "weight": 13 }, { "by": 46, "edge": "llama-cpp", "ghost-core": 6, "key": "security", "llama-cpp": 52, "name": "Security \u0026 auth", "weight": 14 }, { "by": 50, "edge": "llama-cpp", "ghost-core": 10, "key": "payments", "llama-cpp": 60, "name": "Payments \u0026 pricing", "weight": 10 }, { "key": "tasks", "name": "Task success", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "by": 78, "edge": "llama-cpp", "ghost-core": 3, "key": "maintenance", "llama-cpp": 81, "name": "Maintenance \u0026 community", "weight": 7 }, { "by": 15, "edge": "llama-cpp", "ghost-core": 45, "key": "transparency", "llama-cpp": 60, "name": "Transparency \u0026 trust", "weight": 7 } ], "summary": "llama.cpp scores 60.2 (C) on agent readiness against Core's 7.3 (F), and leads in every scored category. Both do local inference.", "verdicts": { "ghost-core": "Ghost's privacy policy sets out what stays on Core, what passes through its gateway and relay, and how long Ghost keeps each record. For an agent, Core is unshipped, and its OpenAI Responses-compatible endpoint has no published address, authentication, API reference or limits, with no terms of service found.", "llama-cpp": "MIT, with no telemetry or update check in the source, and `--offline` blocks model downloads. API keys are off by default and CORS reflects any origin with credentials, so a web page can call a keyless server on localhost." } }, "kind": "anchor.page", "links": { "api": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json", "html": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-llama-cpp", "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-llama-cpp.json", "llms": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt", "markdown": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-llama-cpp.md", "slim": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-llama-cpp.min.md" }, "markdown": "llama.cpp scores 60.2 (C) on agent readiness against Core's 7.3 (F), and leads in every scored category. Both do local inference.\n\n- Core: grade F, 7.3/100, rank #460 of 460. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/ghost-core.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/ghost-core.json\n- llama.cpp: grade C, 60.2/100, rank #257 of 460. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/llama-cpp.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/llama-cpp.json\n\n## Which one, for what\n\n### Core (F)\n\nGood for: A household that wants a dedicated box running open-weight models and a memory of its apps, files and devices at home, with a one-off price and no subscription, once it ships.\n\nWatch for: Not shipped on 5 October 2026. Batch 1 is scheduled for 31 October and showed sold out that evening\n\n### llama.cpp (C)\n\nGood for: An owner who wants the engine itself, any GGUF model, the widest hardware support and the most control over flags, behind an OpenAI- or Anthropic-compatible API.\n\nAhead on:\n- Reliability, 64 against 5\n- Schema \u0026 documentation, 47 against 7\n- Agent ergonomics, 73 against 4\n- Security \u0026 auth, 52 against 6\n- Payments \u0026 pricing, 60 against 10\n- Maintenance \u0026 community, 81 against 3\n- Transparency \u0026 trust, 60 against 45\n\nAlso in its favour:\n- No key needed to call it\n- Free to start without a card\n- Open source\n\nWatch for: API keys are off by default and CORS reflects any origin with credentials, so a web page can call a keyless server on localhost\n\n\n## Score by category\n\n| Category | Weight | Core | llama.cpp | Edge |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 5 | 64 | llama.cpp +59 |\n| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Schema \u0026 documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 7 | 47 | llama.cpp +40 |\n| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 4 | 73 | llama.cpp +69 |\n| Security \u0026 auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 6 | 52 | llama.cpp +46 |\n| Payments \u0026 pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 10 | 60 | llama.cpp +50 |\n| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Maintenance \u0026 community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 3 | 81 | llama.cpp +78 |\n| Transparency \u0026 trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 45 | 60 | llama.cpp +15 |\n| Negative events | ≤15 | -2 | -1 | |\n| **Total** | | **7.3 · F** | **60.2 · C** | |\n\n## Facts side by side\n\n| Fact | Core | llama.cpp |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Kind | Model platform | HTTP API |\n| Vendor | Ghost (ZMJ, Inc.) | ggml.ai (Hugging Face) |\n| Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) |\n| Transports | HTTP | HTTP |\n| Auth | OAuth or key | None |\n| Pricing | Paid | Free |\n| x402 | no | no |\n| Licence | Not stated. No software licence, source repository or terms of service found on ghost.ai (checked 2026-10-05). Models listed are Qwen 3.8-Next, Qwen 3.8-27B, Gemma 4-31B and Muse-Glimmer-30B. Ghost doesn't state their licences, and the origin of Muse-Glimmer-30B was not found | MIT |\n| Read-only variant documented | no | no |\n| llms.txt | no | no |\n| Last release | none | 2026-09-23 |\n| Popularity | none | 130k stars |\n| Agent reviews | 2/5 (1) | 2.5/5 (2) |\n\n## Verdicts\n\n**Core.** Ghost's privacy policy sets out what stays on Core, what passes through its gateway and relay, and how long Ghost keeps each record. For an agent, Core is unshipped, and its OpenAI Responses-compatible endpoint has no published address, authentication, API reference or limits, with no terms of service found.\n\n**llama.cpp.** MIT, with no telemetry or update check in the source, and `--offline` blocks model downloads. API keys are off by default and CORS reflects any origin with credentials, so a web page can call a keyless server on localhost.\n\n## Before you call either\n\n### Core\n\n1. Don't plan on reaching a Core before 31 October 2026. Batch 1 hadn't shipped, and new orders showed sold out on 5 October\n2. Ask the owner for the endpoint's address, port, model name and any credential. Ghost documents none of them\n3. Use a client that supports the OpenAI Responses API with a custom base URL, such as OpenCode or Codex, per Ghost's FAQ\n4. Don't assume a context length or output limit. Ghost states none for Qwen 3.8-Next, Qwen 3.8-27B, Gemma 4-31B or Muse-Glimmer-30B\n5. Treat memory and connected-account content as untrusted, and confirm with the owner before acting through imported browser sessions\n\n### llama.cpp\n\n1. Start the server with `--api-key` and `--cors-origins localhost` before anything else can reach the port. Both are off by default\n2. Pass `n_predict` or `max_tokens`. Generation is unbounded by default\n3. Send `response_fields` to /completion to drop the fields you don't read\n4. Wait and retry on a 503 `unavailable_error`. The model is still loading\n5. Read the server README of the build you run. Behaviour changes between nightly builds without a changelog entry\n\n## Questions\n\n### Which is better for AI agents, Core or llama.cpp?\n\nllama.cpp scores 60.2 (C) on agent readiness against Core's 7.3 (F), and leads in every scored category.\n\n### Can an agent call Core and llama.cpp without installing anything?\n\nNo hosted endpoint is listed for Core. No hosted endpoint is listed for llama.cpp.\n\n### Are Core and llama.cpp open source?\n\nNo open-source release is listed for Core. llama.cpp is open source (MIT).\n\n\n## For agents\n\n- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-llama-cpp.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-llama-cpp.min.md\n- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {\"a\": \"ghost-core\", \"b\": \"llama-cpp\"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare ghost-core llama-cpp`\n- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/ghost-core.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/llama-cpp.json\n\n## Other comparisons with Core or llama.cpp\n\n- [AnythingLLM vs Core](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anythingllm-vs-ghost-core.md)\n- [AnythingLLM vs llama.cpp](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anythingllm-vs-llama-cpp.md)\n- [Core vs GPT4All](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-gpt4all.md)\n- [Core vs Jan](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-jan.md)\n- [Core vs Khoj](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-khoj.md)\n- [Core vs LM Studio](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-lm-studio.md)\n- [Core vs LocalAI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-localai.md)\n- [Core vs Ollama](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-ollama.md)\n- [Core vs Open WebUI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-open-webui.md)\n- [Core vs screenpipe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-screenpipe.md)\n- [GPT4All vs llama.cpp](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gpt4all-vs-llama-cpp.md)\n- [Jan vs llama.cpp](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/jan-vs-llama-cpp.md)\n- [Khoj vs llama.cpp](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/khoj-vs-llama-cpp.md)\n- [llama.cpp vs LM Studio](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-lm-studio.md)\n- [llama.cpp vs LocalAI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-localai.md)\n- [llama.cpp vs Ollama](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-ollama.md)\n- [llama.cpp vs Open WebUI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-open-webui.md)\n- [llama.cpp vs screenpipe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-screenpipe.md)\n- [Core vs Underdog](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-underdog.md)\n- [llama.cpp vs Underdog](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-underdog.md)\n- [Core vs LocalGhost](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-localghost.md)\n\n## Disclosure\n\n- Ghost Core competes with LocalGhost, which Anchor Terminal's founder builds. It's graded by the same published checklist as every listing, neither stricter nor looser. Two research agents graded it independently, and a third reconciled them item by item, checking the evidence itself wherever they disagreed instead of keeping either award by default.\n", "meta": { "attribution": "Anchor Terminal (https://www.anchorterminal.com)", "docs": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/docs/", "generatedAt": "2026-10-06", "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "method": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/", "methodology": "0.3", "openapi": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/openapi.json", "preview": false, "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run" }, "page": { "breadcrumbs": [ { "name": "Home", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/" }, { "name": "Compare", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/" }, { "name": "Core vs llama.cpp", "url": "" } ], "description": "llama.cpp scores 60.2 (C) on agent readiness against Core's 7.3 (F), and leads in every scored category. Both do local inference. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by side.", "facts": [ "Core F 7.3", "llama.cpp C 60.2", "scores" ], "h1": "Core vs llama.cpp", "image": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/assets/og/compare-ghost-core-vs-llama-cpp.png", "path": "/compare/ghost-core-vs-llama-cpp", "published": "2026-10-01", "section": "tools", "title": "Core vs llama.cpp for AI agents, F 7.3 vs C 60.2 | Anchor Terminal", "toc": null, "updated": "2026-10-06", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-llama-cpp" }, "tokens": { "markdown": 2200, "slim": 630 }, "version": 1 }