Google AI Studio
Free + Paid
Google's browser workspace for trying Gemini models and getting a Gemini API key.
AI Models & Developer APIsVisit
LM Studio
Desktop app for discovering, downloading and chatting with local language models.
What is LM Studio?
LM Studio is a desktop app that lets you find open models, download them and chat with them on your own computer. It can also run a local server with an OpenAI-style API, so other apps can use your local models.
Best for: Anyone who wants a friendly app for running AI models locally.
What you can do with LM Studio
Try an open model without coding
Serve a local model to your own app
Chat with a PDF privately
Key features
- Built-in model search and download
- Chat interface for local models
- Local OpenAI-compatible server
- Chat with your own documents
LM Studio pros and cons
Pros
- Beginner-friendly interface
- Free to use
- Runs fully offline
Cons
- Needs a capable computer for larger models
- Model quality depends on what you download
LM Studio pricing
Free
LM Studio is free to use. Plans change often, so check the official site for current prices.
How to get started
- Open lmstudio.ai and create a free account.
- Try one real task first: try an open model without coding.
- Compare the result with Google AI Studio or OpenAI API Platform, then keep the one that fits how you work.
Compare LM Studio
Side-by-side comparisons of features, pricing, pros and cons.
LM Studio alternatives
Other tools that do a similar job, ranked by our editors.
OpenAI API Platform
PaidEditor's pickOpenAI's developer platform for building apps with GPT, image, audio and embedding models.
AI Models & Developer APIsVisitAnthropic's console and API for building with the Claude family of models.
AI Models & Developer APIsVisitOllama
Open sourceRun open language models locally on your own computer with one simple command.
AI Models & Developer APIsVisitOpenRouter
Free + PaidOne API and key to reach hundreds of AI models from many different providers.
AI Models & Developer APIsVisitReplicate
PaidRun thousands of open-source AI models in the cloud with a simple API.
AI Models & Developer APIsVisit
Top AI model platforms
How LM Studio compares with the best in AI Models & Developer APIs.
OpenAI's developer platform for building apps with GPT, image, audio and embedding models.
Anthropic's console and API for building with the Claude family of models.
3. Google AI Studio
Free + PaidGoogle's browser workspace for trying Gemini models and getting a Gemini API key.
4. Ollama
Open sourceRun open language models locally on your own computer with one simple command.
5. FLUX by Black Forest Labs
Free + PaidA family of high-quality image models for generating and editing pictures from text.
LM Studio FAQ
What is LM Studio?
LM Studio is a desktop app that lets you find open models, download them and chat with them on your own computer. It can also run a local server with an OpenAI-style API, so other apps can use your local models.
Is LM Studio free?
LM Studio is free to use. Check the official site for current limits and prices.
What can you do with LM Studio?
With LM Studio you can try an open model without coding; serve a local model to your own app; chat with a PDF privately.
Who is LM Studio best for?
Anyone who wants a friendly app for running AI models locally.
Does LM Studio have an app?
Yes. Besides its main version, LM Studio has apps for Windows, Mac and Linux.
Who makes LM Studio?
LM Studio is made by Element Labs.
What are the best alternatives to LM Studio?
Popular alternatives include Google AI Studio, OpenAI API Platform, Claude Developer Platform and Ollama. See the full ranking on our AI Models & Developer APIs page.
AltFTool is not affiliated with LM Studio. This summary was written by our editors from the tool's public information. Browse all 451 AI tools