Comparison
paddler vs ollama
Verdict
Pick paddler if paddler offers a streamlined approach to serve LLMs/VLMs with minimal setup complexity, focusing on scaling through simplicity; pick ollama if ollama is a Go-based framework for deploying and running various large language models, including Kimi, GLM, MiniMax, DeepSeek, gpt-oss, Qwen, and Gemma.
Markdown twin · paddler alternatives · ollama alternatives
GraphCanon updated Sep 30, 2026
19views this month
Trust & integrity
| Signal | paddler | ollama |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (2d since push) As of Sep 20, 2026 · github_public_v1 | Very active (0d since push) As of Sep 18, 2026 · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of Sep 20, 2026 · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of Sep 18, 2026 · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | No published findings from this source as of 2026-07-11 As of Jul 11, 2026 · osv@v1 | Published findings As of Sep 18, 2026 · osv@v1 |
| deps.dev advisories | Not queried deps.dev@v1 | Published findings As of Aug 9, 2026 · deps.dev@v1 |
| OpenSSF Scorecard | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 | No public record from this source As of Aug 2, 2026 · openssf-scorecard@v1 |
Tagline
- paddler
- Open-source LLM/VLM load balancer and serving platform for self-hosting at scale
- ollama
- Get up and running with Kimi, GLM, MiniMax, DeepSeek, gpt-oss, Qwen, Gemma and other models.
Stars
- paddler
- 1.7k
- ollama
- 181k
Forks
- paddler
- 98
- ollama
- 18k
Open issues
- paddler
- 30
- ollama
- 4.0k
Language
- paddler
- Rust
- ollama
- Go
Adopt for
- paddler
- Paddler offers a streamlined approach to serve LLMs/VLMs with minimal setup complexity, focusing on scaling through simplicity.
- ollama
- Ollama is a Go-based framework for deploying and running various large language models, including Kimi, GLM, MiniMax, DeepSeek, gpt-oss, Qwen, and Gemma.
Persona
- paddler
- -
- ollama
- -
Runtime
- paddler
- -
- ollama
- -
License
- paddler
- Apache-2.0
- ollama
- MIT
Last pushed
- paddler
- Sep 17, 2026
- ollama
- Sep 17, 2026
Categories
- paddler
- Inference & Serving
- ollama
- Inference & Serving, LLM Frameworks
Trust and health
Days since push
- paddler
- 2d
- ollama
- 0d
Open issues (now)
- paddler
- 30
- ollama
- 4.0k
Stars delta
- paddler
- +11 (30d)
- ollama
- +3.7k (30d)
Open issues delta
- paddler
- +1 (30d)
- ollama
- +451 (30d)
OSV dependency advisories
- paddler
- No published findings from this source as of 2026-07-11
- ollama
- Published findings
deps.dev advisories
- paddler
- Not queried
- ollama
- Published findings
OpenSSF Scorecard
- paddler
- Not queried
- ollama
- No public record from this source
Full report
- paddler
- Trust report
- ollama
- Trust report
Typed relationship
paddler alternative ollamaPaddler and ollama both serve as platforms to run various LLMs but Paddler focuses more on load balancing and simple deployment, making them alternatives in this context.
Choose paddler if…
- paddler is primarily Rust; ollama is Go.
- License: paddler is Apache-2.0, ollama is MIT.
- Paddler and ollama both serve as platforms to run various LLMs but Paddler focuses more on load balancing and simple deployment, making them alternatives in this context.
- Tags unique to paddler: ai, cpu, gpu, llamacpp.
- Need a platform that simplifies deployments around the ggml ecosystem for self-hosting at scale
When NOT to use paddler
- Require extensive customization options in model serving infrastructure that Paddler's minimalistic design does not support
- Seek complex feature sets beyond simple scale-out capabilities, which might be found in more comprehensive platforms
Choose ollama if…
- ollama is primarily Go; paddler is Rust.
- License: ollama is MIT, paddler is Apache-2.0.
- Paddler and ollama both serve as platforms to run various LLMs but Paddler focuses more on load balancing and simple deployment, making them alternatives in this context.
- Tags unique to ollama: deepseek, gemma, glm, go.
- Also covers LLM Frameworks.
- When you need a framework that supports a wide range of large language models, including Qwen and Gemma, and you prefer using Go for development.
When NOT to use ollama
- If your project is heavily reliant on Python or another language and you prefer not to introduce Go into your tech stack.
- When you need a framework that is tightly integrated with a specific model or ecosystem that Ollama does not support, such as models that are only available through a different framework or language.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (intentee/paddler) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- GitHub forks (intentee/paddler) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Last push (intentee/paddler) · observed Sep 17, 2026
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 12, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (ollama/ollama) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- GitHub forks (ollama/ollama) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Last push (ollama/ollama) · observed Sep 17, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Sep 18, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Sep 18, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: paddler 1.7k · ollama 181k (synced Sep 20, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between paddler and ollama?
- paddler: Open-source LLM/VLM load balancer and serving platform for self-hosting at scale. ollama: Get up and running with Kimi, GLM, MiniMax, DeepSeek, gpt-oss, Qwen, Gemma and other models.. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose paddler over ollama?
- Choose paddler over ollama when paddler is primarily Rust; ollama is Go; License: paddler is Apache-2.0, ollama is MIT; Paddler and ollama both serve as platforms to run various LLMs but Paddler focuses more on load balancing and simple deployment, making them alternatives in this context; Tags unique to paddler: ai, cpu, gpu, llamacpp; Need a platform that simplifies deployments around the ggml ecosystem for self-hosting at scale.
- When should I choose ollama over paddler?
- Choose ollama over paddler when ollama is primarily Go; paddler is Rust; License: ollama is MIT, paddler is Apache-2.0; Paddler and ollama both serve as platforms to run various LLMs but Paddler focuses more on load balancing and simple deployment, making them alternatives in this context; Tags unique to ollama: deepseek, gemma, glm, go; Also covers LLM Frameworks; When you need a framework that supports a wide range of large language models, including Qwen and Gemma, and you prefer using Go for development.
- When should I avoid paddler?
- Require extensive customization options in model serving infrastructure that Paddler's minimalistic design does not support Seek complex feature sets beyond simple scale-out capabilities, which might be found in more comprehensive platforms
- When should I avoid ollama?
- If your project is heavily reliant on Python or another language and you prefer not to introduce Go into your tech stack. When you need a framework that is tightly integrated with a specific model or ecosystem that Ollama does not support, such as models that are only available through a different framework or language.
- Is paddler or ollama more popular on GitHub?
- ollama has more GitHub stars (181,196 vs 1,674). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are paddler and ollama open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (paddler: Apache-2.0, ollama: MIT).
- Where can I find alternatives to paddler or ollama?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at paddler alternatives and ollama alternatives (paddler markdown twin, ollama markdown twin), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes.
- Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison?
- Yes. The markdown twin at this comparison mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.
- Which is better maintained, paddler or ollama?
- paddler: Very active. ollama: Very active. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance.
- Where are the full trust reports for paddler and ollama?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: paddler trust report; ollama trust report.