VerlumoAIConversational AI assistant for writing, coding, and everyday questions.
View detailsLM Studio is a desktop app for discovering and chatting with local language models. It gives you a polished interface for downloading open models, running them on your own hardware, and chatting with them, with support for tool use, retrieval, and local servers.
Key Features
- Discover and run local LLMs on your desktop
- Polished chat interface with tool use
- Local server mode for app development
- Document retrieval for grounded answers
- Free for work use since July 2025
- Optional cloud models on paid plans
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Desktop app with local models, free for work use. |
| Bionic+ | $20/mo | Cloud models and web search. |
| Pro | $100/mo | Five times the usage limits of Bionic+. |
Prices as listed in 2026 research. Always check the official site for the latest price — plans change. Free plan: Yes — it has a free plan.
Best for: users who want a polished free desktop app for chatting with local models.
Popular with: Developers, Students
Popular with: Developers, Students
How it works
The desktop app is free, including for work use since July 2025. LM Studio also offers optional cloud plans: Bionic+ at $20 a month adds cloud models and web search, and Pro at $100 a month raises usage limits further.
LM Studio suits anyone who wants a friendly, free way to run AI locally, with the option to pay for cloud models when local hardware is not enough.
Pros and Cons
✓ Pros
- Free desktop app with a great interface
- Runs models fully locally for privacy
- Local server mode for developers
- Cloud plans are optional, not required
✗ Cons
- Cloud model plans add cost on top of the free app
- Local models need a capable computer
- Bionic+ and Pro pricing may change as cloud features grow
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LM Studio free?
Yes — LM Studio has a free plan. Free desktop app; cloud plans from $20/mo
What is LM Studio best for?
users who want a polished free desktop app for chatting with local models.
What kind of tool is LM Studio?
LM Studio is a AI Chatbots tool on VerlumoAI.
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View detailsLast reviewed: November 2026