Quivr vs Onyx (Danswer)
An open-source 'second brain' that lets you chat with all your files and knowledge using RAG. Quivr ingests documents, notes and links, then answers questions over them with the model of your choice — self-hostable and free.
🧠 Expert verdict
Our expert verdict: Quivr and Onyx (Danswer) are very evenly matched at 4.5/5, so the right pick comes down to your priorities, and it stands out for "Chat with all your files (RAG)". Choose Quivr if you want the best chatbots tool overall, especially for personal knowledge assistant; pick Onyx (Danswer) if "Connects 40+ company apps" matters more for your workflow.
Quivr
An open-source 'second brain' that lets you chat with all your files and knowledge using RAG. Quivr ingests documents, notes and links, then answers questions over them with the model of your choice — self-hostable and free.
Onyx (Danswer)
An open-source enterprise AI assistant and search (formerly Danswer) that connects to your company's apps — Slack, Drive, Confluence, GitHub — to answer questions over internal knowledge. Self-hostable, secure and free.
Quivr
✅ Pros
- +Chat with all your files (RAG)
- +Bring your own model
- +Self-hostable and private
- +Open source and free
- +Hosted option available too
❌ Cons
- −Self-hosting needs setup
- −Answer quality depends on data
- −Hosted plan for convenience is paid
- −Developer-leaning
Onyx (Danswer)
✅ Pros
- +Connects 40+ company apps
- +Self-hostable (data stays yours)
- +Open-source alternative to Glean
- +Secure with permissions
- +Free to run yourself
❌ Cons
- −Setup for connectors/IT
- −Hosted cloud plan is paid
- −Best for teams, not individuals
- −Requires maintenance
🎯 Best for — Quivr
🎯 Best for — Onyx (Danswer)
🏷️ Tags — Quivr
🏷️ Tags — Onyx (Danswer)
Our Verdict
Quivr and Onyx (Danswer) are equally matched — your choice depends on your specific use case and budget.
Expert take on each tool
📌 Quivr
Quivr is a top open-source "second brain": upload your files and chat with your own knowledge via RAG, self-hosted and private, with any model you like. Great for individuals and teams who want a searchable, conversational memory of everything.
📌 Onyx (Danswer)
Onyx (formerly Danswer) is the leading open-source alternative to Glean: connect your company apps and get a secure, self-hosted AI assistant over internal knowledge. Ideal for teams that want enterprise search without sending data to a vendor cloud.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better: Quivr or Onyx (Danswer)?
Quivr and Onyx (Danswer) are rated equally (4.5/5), so the better choice depends on your specific use case, pricing preference, and feature needs — see the full comparison above for details.
Is Quivr or Onyx (Danswer) cheaper?
Quivr (Free (open source) / hosted plans) and Onyx (Danswer) (Free (open source) / cloud plans) sit at a similar price point. The best way to compare actual cost is to check each tool's plans for the specific features and usage limits you need.
Can I switch from Quivr to Onyx (Danswer)?
Yes — switching between Quivr and Onyx (Danswer) is usually straightforward since both are chatbots tools with similar core workflows. Most users can export their data and get started with Onyx (Danswer) within a day; just check Onyx (Danswer)'s free plan before committing to a paid tier.