Local large language model (LLM) deployment tools enable you to easily run and experience cutting-edge AI capabilities across platforms like Windows and Mac. Popular choices include LM Studio, DeepSeek AI Chat, Ollama, and LMDeploy, each offering distinct features and compatibility. In this article, we will discuss 10 free LM Studio alternatives that you can run local LLMs on your PC!
If you’ve encountered instability, compatibility issues (including with Intel and Apple Silicon Macs), or limited functionality while using LM Studio, these reliable and free local LLM tools are worth a try. They make model deployment and reasoning seamless, helping you regain control and flexibility over your AI applications.
The only thing you need to do is select the right free LM Studio alternative and start using your local LLM on your desktop with ease. We have tested more than 30 local LLM models, focusing on their performance and ease of use.
Key Takeaway:
● To run LLMs on Windows or Mac, there are 3 main ways you can use: user-friendly LM Studio alternatives like DeepSeek AI Chat, flexible open-source AI deployment tools such as Anything LLM, or command-line-driven developer tools like Ollama.
● We will introduce these alternatives separately, and you can choose based on your usage habits, device platform, and technical proficiency. ( These options are free, with some being open-source, catering to various user needs.)
What is LM Studio and Why Use It?
LM Studio is a lightweight desktop application specifically designed for running LLMs locally. It allows you to deploy and test a variety of open-source AI models directly on your PC. By optimizing hardware resource usage, LM Studio enables developers to experience seamless local AI interaction without the need for complex configurations.
Why Use LM Studio?
Run popular open-source language models like Llama, Mistral, and Phi
Simplifies the local AI deployment process, compatible with both Windows and macOS
Supports model downloading, parameter configuration, local chat interface, and more
Top 10 LM Studio Alternatives for Windows/Mac in 2025
1DeepSeek AI Chat
DeepSeek AI Chat is a powerful local LLM AI assistant developed by Kingshiper, especially popular among Windows users for its ease of installation and offline performance.
One click to install and use without manual configuration or command-line operations
Supports Various tasks, including text generation, conversation, and code completion
Runs locally without internet, ensuring privacy and eliminating network latency
Efficiently understands and generates both Chinese and English language conversations
Supports popular models such as DeepSeek and Qwen
Pros
Fewer customizable parameters and settings compared to LM Studio
Cons
Platform Support: Windows 10/11
Why We Recommend:
DeepSeek AI Chat has a good balance between simplicity, privacy, and performance for local LLM deployment. For users looking for a lightweight, privacy-focused AI assistant without the complexity of coding or online dependencies, it offers a dependable and beginner-friendly alternative to more technical platforms like LM Studio.
2LocalAI
LocalAI is an open-source local AI platform that serves as a drop-in replacement for the OpenAI API. It supports multiple models and architectures, making it easy for developers to migrate and integrate existing projects. Besides, it can keep models loaded in memory during runtime to improve reasoning speed.
Supports major model formats such as GGML and GGUF, and is compatible with a variety of models including LLaMA, Mistral, and Qwen
Free and open-source with an active community, remote management support, and multimedia generation capabilities
Pros
Installation and configuration can be complex, posing a challenge for non-technical users
Performance depends on local hardware; weaker devices may experience slower reasoning
Some OpenAI API features are not fully compatible yet, and the documentation is often technical
Cons
Platform Support: Windows, macOS
Why We Recommend:
LocalAI is ideal for professional users and developers who prioritize data privacy and offline control. It avoids delays and security risks associated with cloud AI services. Although it requires technical skills and sufficient hardware, its open architecture and strong compatibility make it one of the top local AI deployment solutions available. As a highly regarded LM Studio alternative, LocalAI offers robust support for local AI model deployment while ensuring privacy and performance.
3Ollama
Ollama is not a full-fledged AI development platform but rather a lightweight local LLM tool. It enables fast loading and deployment of multiple mainstream models and has gained wide attention as a popular LM Studio alternative.
Compatible with major models such as Llama 3.2, Mistral, Code Llama, and Phi-3
Uses a command-line interface (CLI) and supports mod file customization
Pros
Primarily CLI-based, which may not be user-friendly for those without a technical background
Supports only local model execution, lacking graphical interfaces, plugin systems, or debugging aids
Running large models on low-end devices can cause performance bottlenecks
Cons
Platform Support: macOS, Linux (stable), Windows (experimental)
Why We Recommend:
If you have a high demand for privacy, offline and modular extensibility, Ollama is a great alternative to LM Studio. Despite higher setup complexity and hardware demands, its strong model support and offline capabilities make it a very useful AI assistant for secure and autonomous local AI deployment.
4AnythingLLM
With AnythingLLM, you can run AI models locally on your PC and turn documents into private knowledge bases and connect with various large language models. In recent years, it has gained popularity in the open-source community and is widely recognized as a powerful LM Studio alternative.
Easily imports PDFs, Word files, TXT, and more to quickly create local knowledge bases with Q&A capabilities
Works with a variety of model backends like Ollama, OpenAI API, and LMDeploy
A user-friendly web interface for viewing chat history, managing documents, and switching models
Pros
High memory and disk usage when building large knowledge bases or running large models
Setup requires configuring environments, model paths, and databases, which can be tricky for non-technical users
Cons
Platform Support: Windows, macOS, Linux
Why We Recommend:
AnythingLLM has established itself in the open-source AI tool ecosystem thanks to its powerful local knowledge base, question-answering, and multi-model compatibility. However, due to its relatively complex deployment process and hardware requirements, it presents a higher barrier to entry for average users.
5GPT4All
GPT4All is a practical local AI chat assistant with over 250,000 active users per month on GitHub. It has attracted wide attention from developers and AI enthusiasts worldwide.
Provides a graphical client and a Python SDK
Supports 1,000+ open-source models, including LLaMA, Mistral, Deepseek, and Nous-Hermes
Pros
Running large models locally can be demanding on CPU, memory, and storage
Initial setup and configuration may be difficult for beginners
Cons
Platform Support: Windows, macOS, Linux
Why We Recommend:
If you're looking for a simple, secure way to run AI models on your desktop, GPT4All is a great choice. While it lacks some of the advanced features of larger platforms, it remains a practical and reliable LM Studio alternative for individuals and newcomers who put strong emphasis on ease of use and offline capability.
6Jan.ai
Jan.ai is an offline AI chatbot designed specifically for desktop users. It supports multiple large language models and features a rich plugin system, which makes it widely regarded as an alternative to ChatGPT.
Built-in plugins such as a web browser, image generation, and Python code execution offer strong extensibility
Supports both local models and cloud APIs
Provides a ChatGPT-like multi-tab interface, ideal for multitasking
Pros
Features like web search and online image generation require an internet connection
Running multiple tabs and plugins simultaneously can demand significant system resources
Cons
Platform Support: Windows, macOS, Linux
Why We Recommend:
Jan.ai is an excellent choice for users looking for a locally run, feature-rich AI platform with a user-friendly interface. As a comprehensive LM Studio alternative, it not only supports integration of multiple models but also enhances interaction through a plugin system.
7VLLM
vLLM is a fast and user-friendly library for large language model reasoning and serving. Originally developed by the Sky Computing Lab at the University of California, Berkeley, it has since evolved into a community-driven project supported by both academia and industry.
Supports multiple quantization techniques, including GPTQ, AWQ, INT4, INT8, and FP8
Integrates popular HuggingFace models and supports various decoding algorithms such as parallel sampling and beam search
Compatible with NVIDIA GPUs, AMD CPUs/GPUs, Intel CPUs, Gaudi® accelerators, TPUs, IBM Power CPUs, as well as AWS Trainium and Inferentia accelerators
Pros
Powerful but complex to configure
High hardware resource requirements
Cons
Platform Support: Windows, macOS, Linux
Why We Recommend:
vLLM uses advanced PagedAttention technology and efficient scheduling to greatly improve large language model reasoning. It is a great choice for deploying large-scale, high-performance LLM services. Especially suited for research and production environments that need fast, high-volume processing, vLLM is an effective open-source tool that helps bring AI applications to real-world use.
8Open WebUI
Open WebUI is an open-source web interface tool focused on simplifying model management and interaction. It supports integration with Ollama as well as multiple services compatible with the OpenAI API.
Quick installation via Docker, Kubernetes, and Helm, offering image options with Ollama integration and CUDA GPU acceleration to accommodate various hardware and environments
Integrates with Ollama and OpenAI API, allows custom API endpoints, and supports multiple third-party platforms such as LM Studio, GroqCloud, and Mistral
Pros
Requires stable WebSocket support for proper functionality
High memory and storage demands during high concurrency or multi-node deployments
Configuration can be a bit complex for non-technical users
Cons
Platform Support: Windows, macOS, Linux
Why We Recommend:
Open WebUI stands out as an ideal platform for both local and cloud-based AI applications thanks to its flexible deployment options, powerful model integration capabilities, and user-friendly interface. It supports user collaboration and customizable team permission management, providing a secure and efficient environment for diverse AI workflows.
9Llamafile
Unlike the AI local deployment tools mentioned above, Llamafile allows you to run models through a single executable file. You only need to download a single file to quickly use mainstream LLMs on popular desktop operating systems.
Combines model weights and all necessary code into a single executable file
One click to download and install the LLM on your desktop
Pros
Limited configuration for managing complex AI workflows
Run slowly with large models on lower-end hardware
Cons
Platform Support: Windows, Linux, macOS
Why We Recommend:
Llamafile not only simplifies the complexity of local AI model deployment but also supports the use of external model weights, addressing the 4GB file size limitation for Windows users, and enhancing its compatibility across different hardware configurations.
10Mistral AI
Mistral AI is a Paris-based AI startup specializing in open-weight and proprietary large language models. Known for its efficient, high-performance models, Mistral AI has quickly become a strong open-source alternative to tools like LM Studio.
Provides flexible deployment options, giving you full control over AI usage
Runs fast with excellent performance at a low cost
Pros
Advanced features can be costly for small businesses or individual users
High-performance models may require advanced hardware
Cons
Platform Support: Windows, macOS, Linux
Why We Recommend:
Mistral AI has strong performance, flexible deployment options, high model compatibility, and fast local reasoning. It is directly supported by many leading large language model tools, making it one of the most reliable alternatives to LM Studio currently available.
Deploy DeepSeek R1 Model on Desktop with DeepSeek AI Chat
To easily experience the DeepSeek R1 AI model on your desktop, we recommend a free offline AI assistant called DeepSeek AI Chat. If you're using Windows 10 or 11, you can follow the steps below to locally deploy and run DeepSeek R1 for offline conversations.
Step 1. Download and install DeepSeek AI Chat on your computer. Then launch it and select the model you want to install, and choose a location for the model files.
Step 2. Click "Start Local Deployment" to begin the setup. Once the download is complete, it will automatically open the AI Chat interface.
Step 3. Now, you can interact naturally with DeepSeek R1, including multi-turn questions and answers, text generation, or code assistance. You can also import local knowledge base files to improve the accuracy of your answers.
Conclusion
When choosing an LM Studio, it ultimately depends on your specific needs and usage habits. Whether you're a beginner who loves to talk with AI offline or a developer, there's sure to be an option among these 10 free alternatives for Windows and Mac that suits your needs.
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