Best way to run AI on your own computer

Ranking

1. #1

   Ollama

   Ollama

   Run open models on your computer with one command, with apps for Mac, Windows and Linux and a local OpenAI-compatible API.

   Why it ranks here: The de facto standard for running LLMs locally: simple, free, open source and supported by nearly every tool.

   View detailsOfficial site
2. #2

   LM Studio

   Element Labs

   Desktop app with a graphical interface to download, test and chat with open models, plus a local API server.

   Why it ranks here: The friendliest way to try local models without a terminal; free, but not open source.

   View detailsOfficial site
3. #3

   Hugging Face

   Hugging Face

   The largest hub of open AI models, datasets and demos, with libraries such as Transformers and inference services.

   Why it ranks here: Where open models get published first; essential for developers, less direct for people who just want to use them.

   View detailsOfficial site
4. #4

   Jan

   Jan

   Open-source ChatGPT alternative that runs 100% offline on your computer, with local or cloud models.

   Why it ranks here: Open, privacy-focused chat interface; smaller ecosystem than Ollama and LM Studio.

   View detailsOfficial site
5. #5

   GPT4All

   Nomic AI

   Free, open-source app from Nomic AI to run open language models locally on Windows, macOS and Linux, with chat over documents on your computer.

   Why it ranks here: Free, private and cross-platform, but it depends on local hardware and has a leaner catalog and feature set than Ollama and LM Studio.

   View detailsOfficial site
6. #6

   Open WebUI

   Open WebUI

   Self-hosted, open-source web interface to run AI models locally, connecting to Ollama, OpenAI, Anthropic or any compatible API.

   Why it ranks here: Free, open source and compatible with many back-ends, but it requires self-hosting and your own infrastructure.

   View detailsOfficial site
7. #7

   Msty

   CloudStack

   Desktop app and private AI workspace to chat with local and online models, with personas, agent mode and knowledge stacks.

   Why it ranks here: Has a free-forever tier and a lifetime-license option, but the paid Aurum plan is billed annually only and team features require contacting sales.

   View detailsOfficial site