Decision models · DuoGuard

DuoGuard 0.5B

Name: DuoGuard 0.5B
Author: DuoGuard

Task: Safety and policy checks
Returns: Probability or score
Precision tier: 72 / 100
Size: 490M
Max input: 32K tokens
License: apache-2.0
Released: 2025-02

What it decides

Returns: A probability for each harm category in one pass.
Checks: Prompts and replies
Languages: Multilingual
Precision: 72 / 100 · F1 0.693, ahead of several much larger guards, in an independent comparison (arXiv 2605.28830).
Clarity: Probability or score (15 of 15 clarity points)
How it runs: Classifier head · reads the input once and writes nothing, so it answers in milliseconds.
License: apache-2.0 (Open (Apache, MIT))

Source: model card on Hugging Face (opens in a new tab) · How decision models are rated

How to run it

Original weights · Hugging Face

Full-precision files from DuoGuard, for Transformers, Sentence Transformers, Text Embeddings Inference, Infinity or vLLM.

huggingface.co/DuoGuard/DuoGuard-0.5B (opens in a new tab)

No sign-in needed.

Links checked 3 days ago against Hugging Face, Ollama and GitHub.

Apps that run DuoGuard 0.5B

Our pick for each kind of computer, assuming the model fits in its memory. Pick your own GPU or Mac in the Model Finder for an exact answer.

Mac (Apple silicon)

Sentence Transformers

A few lines of Python with Transformers or Sentence Transformers; easiest for scripts and notebooks.

Windows PC, NVIDIA GPU

Sentence Transformers

A few lines of Python with Transformers or Sentence Transformers; easiest for scripts and notebooks.

Also good: vLLM

Windows PC, AMD Radeon

Sentence Transformers

A few lines of Python with Transformers or Sentence Transformers; easiest for scripts and notebooks.

Also good: vLLM

Linux, NVIDIA GPU

Sentence Transformers

A few lines of Python with Transformers or Sentence Transformers; easiest for scripts and notebooks.

Also good: vLLM

Linux server, 80 GB+ GPUs

vLLM

Serves the scoring head directly (rerank, classify or reward) with batching.

Also good: Sentence Transformers

App	Type	Opens it as	Systems	Engine	Start
vLLM	Server	Original weights	WSLWindowsLinux	vLLM	`vllm serve DuoGuard/DuoGuard-0.5B`
Sentence Transformers	Library	Original weights	macOSWindowsLinux	PyTorch	`python -c "from transformers import pipeline; print(pipeline('text-classification', model='DuoGuard/DuoGuard-0.5B')('text'))"`

Which apps can open a model depends on the files published for it: GGUF for llama.cpp-based apps, MLX for Apple’s engine, the original weights for vLLM and SGLang. Compare every app.

Memory and speed

Each precision on an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, for one decision on a 512-token input. The best hardware table below covers other GPUs and Macs.

Format	Memory needed	Time per decision	Decisions per second	Quality	Download
`Q8_0`	1.0 GB	8.6 ms	116/s	72Great quality (A) · 72 of 100: how capable the model is at Q8_0, whatever it runs on. Match score 87/100 (quality, fit, speed and memory use) sets the ranking.	All files (opens in a new tab)
`F16`	1.5 GB	9.3 ms	108/s	72Great quality (A) · 72 of 100: how capable the model is at F16, whatever it runs on. Match score 87/100 (quality, fit, speed and memory use) sets the ranking.	Original weights (opens in a new tab)

One request at a time. Servers that batch (Text Embeddings Inference, vLLM, Infinity) handle many more decisions per second.

Best hardware for DuoGuard 0.5B

The least expensive GPU in our catalog that runs it without offloading is the Intel Arc A380 (launch price $139) at F16.

Quality	Hardware	Quant	Memory	Time per decision	Runs
72Great quality (A) · 72 of 100: how capable the model is at F16, whatever it runs on. Match score 87/100 (quality, fit, speed and memory use) sets the ranking.	AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX	`F16`	1.7 GB / 24.0 GB	8.1 ms	Runs great
72Great quality (A) · 72 of 100: how capable the model is at F16, whatever it runs on. Match score 87/100 (quality, fit, speed and memory use) sets the ranking.	AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT	`F16`	1.7 GB / 16.0 GB	9.2 ms	Runs great
72Great quality (A) · 72 of 100: how capable the model is at F16, whatever it runs on. Match score 87/100 (quality, fit, speed and memory use) sets the ranking.	AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (128 GB)	`F16`	1.7 GB / 96.0 GB	13 ms	Runs great
72Great quality (A) · 72 of 100: how capable the model is at F16, whatever it runs on. Match score 87/100 (quality, fit, speed and memory use) sets the ranking.	Apple M1 Max (64 GB)	`F16`	1.7 GB / 48.0 GB	53 ms	Runs great
72Great quality (A) · 72 of 100: how capable the model is at F16, whatever it runs on. Match score 87/100 (quality, fit, speed and memory use) sets the ranking.	Apple M2 Ultra (192 GB)	`F16`	1.7 GB / 144 GB	23 ms	Runs great
72Great quality (A) · 72 of 100: how capable the model is at F16, whatever it runs on. Match score 87/100 (quality, fit, speed and memory use) sets the ranking.	Apple M3 Ultra (256 GB)	`F16`	1.7 GB / 192 GB	22 ms	Runs great
72Great quality (A) · 72 of 100: how capable the model is at F16, whatever it runs on. Match score 87/100 (quality, fit, speed and memory use) sets the ranking.	Apple M3 Ultra (512 GB)	`F16`	1.7 GB / 384 GB	22 ms	Runs great
72Great quality (A) · 72 of 100: how capable the model is at F16, whatever it runs on. Match score 87/100 (quality, fit, speed and memory use) sets the ranking.	Apple M4 Max (128 GB)	`F16`	1.7 GB / 96.0 GB	31 ms	Runs great
72Great quality (A) · 72 of 100: how capable the model is at F16, whatever it runs on. Match score 87/100 (quality, fit, speed and memory use) sets the ranking.	Apple M4 Max (64 GB)	`F16`	1.7 GB / 48.0 GB	31 ms	Runs great
72Great quality (A) · 72 of 100: how capable the model is at F16, whatever it runs on. Match score 87/100 (quality, fit, speed and memory use) sets the ranking.	Apple M4 Pro (24 GB)	`F16`	1.7 GB / 16.1 GB	59 ms	Runs great

Check it on your own hardware

Estimates come from published hardware specs and our open formulas, not from running the model on your machine. Real speed varies with runtime, drivers and settings. Numbers marked “Measured” come from a linked benchmark.