Best Open Source LLMs 2026
The most capable open source large language models you can run locally or deploy on your own infrastructure. Updated June 2026.
Why Choose Open Source LLMs?
Open source LLMs offer complete privacy (your data never leaves your servers), cost savings (no API fees), and customization options. With tools like llama.cpp, Ollama, and LM Studio, running powerful AI models locally is easier than ever.
Top Open Source LLMs Ranking
| Rank | Model | Parameters | Context | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| π₯ 1 | Llama 3.1 405B | 405B | 128K | Top-tier performance |
| π₯ 2 | Mistral Large 2 | 123B | 32K | Reasoning & coding |
| π₯ 3 | Llama 3.1 70B | 70B | 128K | Balance of power & speed |
| 4 | Qwen 2.5 72B | 72B | 128K | Coding, math |
| 5 | Command R+ (Cohere) | 104B | 128K | RAG, tool use |
| 6 | Llama 3.1 8B | 8B | 128K | Local, consumer GPUs |
| 7 | Mistral 7B | 7B | 8K | Very local, fast |
Best Open Source LLMs by Use Case
π Best Overall Performance
Llama 3.1 405B - Meta's flagship model rivals GPT-4 class models on most benchmarks
β‘ Best for Local/Consumer GPUs
Llama 3.1 8B / Mistral 7B - Run on 6-8GB VRAM with 4-bit quantization
Qwen 2.5 Coder 32B - Specialized for code generation and explanation
Command R+ - Built-in RAG optimization and function calling
Getting Started with Local LLMs
Ollama
Simplest way to run LLMs locally. One command setup.
ollama run llama3.1