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Dev platform

LM Studio

A desktop app to discover, download and run open-source LLMs locally with a GUI.

Last updated by editors:

Our review

LM Studio is a desktop app for discovering, downloading and running open-source LLMs locally, with a graphical interface and a built-in local API server — an on-ramp to local models for people who'd rather not touch the command line.

It needs capable hardware, still skews technical, and there's no cloud option. But if you want to run models privately on your own machine and prefer a GUI, LM Studio is far friendlier than pure command-line setups.

Pros

GUI
Local & private
Rich models
Local API

Cons

Needs hardware
Technical
No cloud

Key features

Model downloadLocal chatLocal APIGGUF support

Best for

Local inferencePrivacy scenariosOfflineDev testing

FAQ

What is LM Studio?

A desktop app to discover, download and run open-source LLMs locally with a GUI.

What are the pros and cons of LM Studio?

Pros: GUI, Local & private, Rich models, Local API. Cons: Needs hardware, Technical, No cloud.

How much does LM Studio cost?

Free: Free; Commercial: Contact.

Who is LM Studio for?

Best for Local inference, Privacy scenarios, Offline, Dev testing.

What are the alternatives to LM Studio?

Consider Ollama, Open WebUI, Jan.

Visit site ↗

Pricing

FreeFree
  • Runs locally
CommercialContact
  • Enterprise license
LM Studio pricing

Rating

4.6/ 5
Our editorial score4.7/5 on App Store (1,516+)