# Ollama vs LM Studio

URL: https://insidethemachine.ai/compare/ollama-vs-lm-studio
Facts from the site's runbooks (checked 2026-10-15 / 2026-10-15). No speed claims: we have not benchmarked them on the Mac Studio yet.

## Ollama

The one-command local model runner with a REST API on port 11434.

- Best for: The easiest on-ramp: model management plus a stable local API that harnesses, UIs and memory layers already support.
- Kit says: If someone asks me how to get a model running in five minutes, I point here. It's the default backend half the directory plugs into.
- Licence: MIT
- Runs on: Mac (Apple chip), Linux, Windows
- Install (Mac): `curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh`
- Check it works: `ollama --version`
- GitHub stars: 183,450 (last push 2026-10-16)
- Works with: open-webui, litellm, aider, mem0
- Caveats: Model names change frequently; confirm on ollama.com/library.
- Runbook: https://insidethemachine.ai/setups/ollama.md · https://ollama.com/

## LM Studio

Desktop app for discovering and running local models, plus the lms CLI and a local server.

- Best for: Point-and-click model management with an OpenAI-compatible local server; good for comparing GGUF vs MLX builds of the same model on a Mac.
- Kit says: The friendliest GUI in the directory. The app itself isn't open source, but the lms CLI is, and that's what I'd script.
- Licence: lms CLI: MIT (LM Studio desktop app is proprietary freeware)
- Runs on: Mac (Apple chip), Linux, Windows
- Install (Mac): `brew install --cask lm-studio`
- Check it works: `lms status`
- GitHub stars: 5,352 (last push 2026-10-14)
- Works with: open-webui, litellm, aider
- Caveats: Desktop app is not open source; only the CLI repo is.
- Runbook: https://insidethemachine.ai/setups/lm-studio.md · https://lmstudio.ai/

## Questions

**What is the difference between Ollama and LM Studio?**
Ollama: The one-command local model runner with a REST API on port 11434. LM Studio: Desktop app for discovering and running local models, plus the lms CLI and a local server.

**Which should I pick, Ollama or LM Studio?**
Ollama: The easiest on-ramp: model management plus a stable local API that harnesses, UIs and memory layers already support. LM Studio: Point-and-click model management with an OpenAI-compatible local server; good for comparing GGUF vs MLX builds of the same model on a Mac.

**Are Ollama and LM Studio free and open source?**
Ollama: MIT. LM Studio: lms CLI: MIT (LM Studio desktop app is proprietary freeware).