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💬 Chatbots and assistants · 💻 Coding

LM Studio

By Element Labs, Inc.. Visit LM Studio

Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.

A desktop app for downloading and chatting with open AI models on your own computer. In July 2026 the maker launched a separate app, LM Studio Bionic, an AI agent that can create and edit documents, write and run code, run shell commands, search the web and, the maker says, control the computer. Bionic can use local models or paid cloud models. It is a power tool for adults and tech-savvy older teens.

Our take: Fine for a skilled older teen with a parent involved; keep the Bionic agent away from kids and off any shared family computer.

The facts
Ages it suitsabout 16+ with a parent (no age in terms)
What its terms say about ageNot stated in terms. The app terms and hub terms set no minimum age. (terms)
PriceFree, with paid extras. Free for local models; Bionic+ $20 USD a month and Pro $100 a month for cloud models (Oct 2026).
Works onMac, Windows
AccountNo account needed
AdsNone
In-app purchasesYes
The AI in itRuns large language models locally or in its cloud; the Bionic agent can act on files, run commands and control the computer.

What's good

  • Easy app for running AI on your own computer
  • No telemetry for local use
  • Free for local models

Watch for

  • No child safety filter by default; any open model can be downloaded
  • Bionic agent can run commands and control the computer, and has an 'Auto Review' mode that approves some commands without asking
  • Needs technical skill and a strong computer
  • No parental controls

Data and privacy

LM Studio says local chats and documents never leave your computer and the app has no telemetry. Cloud features run under zero data retention and are not used for training. Read the privacy policy.

Does it work?

No independent study found; the maker's own claims only.

In the Big Index

Alternatives to LM Studio

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    Echo Dot Kids (with Alexa+)

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    Explore with Alexa

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Every product in chatbots and assistants →

Where these facts come from

Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.