What is the best free local LLM app for Mac?

Ollama (MIT) and Jan (Apache 2.0) are free and open source. LM Studio is free for home and work but closed source. Msty has a free tier with paid plans above it.

Do local LLM apps run well on Apple silicon?

Yes. Apple silicon uses unified memory, so the GPU can work with a large share of the Mac's RAM; Apple publishes the recommended maximum per Mac. LM Studio and Msty can also use Apple's MLX framework.

Can I use more than one of these apps at once?

Yes. Several apps can share one Ollama install, and Grux OS can use Ollama, LM Studio's server or Jan's server as its local model.

What is the best app to run a local LLM on a Mac?

It depends on the job: LM Studio for finding and testing models, Ollama for a runtime other apps share, Jan for open source offline chat, and Msty for a multi-model workspace. All four run models on your Mac's own hardware, so nothing you type has to leave it. LM Studio supports Apple's MLX on Apple silicon and is free for home and work, but its app is closed source. Ollama (MIT) runs models from its command line and its own Mac app, built on llama.cpp, and serves a local API that other apps connect to. Jan (Apache 2.0) downloads models from Hugging Face and runs on Mac, Windows and Linux. Msty Studio, a commercial app with a free tier, runs models through Ollama, llama.cpp or MLX. They are built to run models and chat with them. Grux OS (MIT) is built to act: it sits on top of any of them and uses the local model to work on your mail, calendar, files and shell. Pick the runner first, then decide whether you also want an agent.

Grux OS 3.0.0 · last checked 2026-09-30 · generated from the shipping release

The apps, side by side

App	License	Runs models with	Best for	Platforms
LM Studio	Closed source, free for home and work	GGUF and MLX models it downloads	Finding, testing and serving models	Mac, Windows, Linux
Ollama	MIT	Its own runtime on llama.cpp, with a command line, a Mac app and a local API	A shared runtime that other apps connect to	Mac, Windows, Linux, Docker
Jan	Apache 2.0	Hugging Face models run in the app	Open source chat, fully offline	Mac, Windows, Linux
Msty Studio	Commercial, with a free tier	Ollama, llama.cpp or MLX	Many models in one workspace, with document retrieval	Desktop, plus web on the paid plan
Grux OS	MIT	Ollama by default, or any local OpenAI compatible server	An agent that acts on your Mac	macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon

How much model your Mac can hold depends on its memory: which LLM can my Mac run works it out from the chip and RAM.

Picking one

You want to try many models and compare them. LM Studio, or Msty if you also want online models in the same window.
You want one runtime that every app can use. Ollama. Most Mac clients, Grux OS included, connect to it.
You want everything open source. Ollama for the runtime and Jan for the chat window, or Grux OS for an agent.
You want the model to do things, not only answer. Grux OS on top of Ollama, LM Studio or Jan.

Where an agent fits

A model runner answers questions. An agent uses the same model to take actions: read and triage mail, check the calendar, run shell commands it can undo. Grux OS finds a running Ollama by itself, and it treats any server at a localhost address, LM Studio's and Jan's included, as a local model. So the runner you pick here keeps working when you add Grux.

Where to check this

Claim	Source
LM Studio supports MLX, runs on Mac, Windows and Linux, serves a local API	LM Studio docs
LM Studio is free for home and work	LM Studio blog
Ollama is MIT licensed, built on llama.cpp, with a REST API on localhost	Ollama README
Jan is Apache 2.0 and runs Hugging Face models on Mac, Windows and Linux	Jan README
Msty Studio runs local models through Ollama, llama.cpp or MLX	Msty pricing
Grux counts any localhost server as a local model	ModelRates.swift

Questions

What is the best free local LLM app for Mac?: Ollama (MIT) and Jan (Apache 2.0) are free and open source. LM Studio is free for home and work but closed source. Msty has a free tier with paid plans above it.
Do local LLM apps run well on Apple silicon?: Yes. Apple silicon uses unified memory, so the GPU can work with a large share of the Mac's RAM; Apple publishes the recommended maximum per Mac. LM Studio and Msty can also use Apple's MLX framework.
Can I use more than one of these apps at once?: Yes. Several apps can share one Ollama install, and Grux OS can use Ollama, LM Studio's server or Jan's server as its local model.

Download Grux 3.0.0 Read the source

Free, MIT licensed. macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon. 23.7 MB, signed and notarized by Apple. No account, no server, no subscription.