LM Studio
GUI app for running local LLMs — wraps llama.cpp with a polished chat UI and model browser.
9 community reports
LM Studio is a desktop app (Mac, Windows, Linux) that wraps llama.cpp behind a polished UI. It's the easiest way to download a model and start chatting with it, particularly for non-CLI users.
Like Ollama, raw throughput is essentially llama.cpp's throughput — the value is convenience and a built-in OpenAI-compatible API server. Popular as a development sandbox before deploying to a more headless setup.
Top GPUs running LM Studio
| GPU | VRAM | Reports | Fastest t/s |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5060 Ti 16GBnvidia | 16GB | 3 | 73.9 |
| RTX 3090nvidia | 24GB | 2 | — |
| RTX 4050 6GBnvidia | 6GB | 1 | 129.0 |
| RTX 5070 Tinvidia | 16GB | 1 | 55.0 |
| RTX 4090nvidia | 24GB | 1 | 25.0 |
| M1 Ultra 128GBapple | 128GB | 1 | 16.0 |
Top models on LM Studio
Frequently asked
Is LM Studio free?
Yes, for personal use. It's a closed-source desktop app with a free license for individuals.
What's the difference between LM Studio and Ollama?
Both wrap llama.cpp. LM Studio leads with a graphical chat UI, Ollama leads with a CLI and daemon-style API. LM Studio is friendlier for casual exploration; Ollama is friendlier for scripting.