8 alternativesLocally AI: Free

The best Locally AI alternatives

For most people the best alternative to Locally AI is ChatGPT, and the best free one is Claude.

The Useful TechResearched and written with AI under our rulesUpdated 14 Oct 2026

Best alternativeChatGPT app iconChatGPTPick it if you want 1 assistant you can type to, talk to or show photos on every device.Free to start
Best free alternativeClaude app iconClaudePick this if you write or code for a living and want an AI that reasons through problems with you.Free to startAlso greatLM Studio app iconLM StudioPick it if you have an Apple silicon Mac with more than 8 GB of RAM and want AI that stays offline.Free

Compare at a glance

Locally AI is highlighted, so you can see what you give up and what you gain.

AppPriceHow you payMaciPhoneiPadApp StoreDeveloperRating
Locally AI app iconLocally AIFreeFree4.7
ChatGPT app iconChatGPTFree to startFree, with paid upgrades4.8
Claude app iconClaudeFree to startFree, with paid upgrades4.7
LM Studio app iconLM StudioFreeFreeToo few ratings
Draw Things app iconDraw ThingsFree to startFree, with paid upgrades4.4
Gemini app iconGeminiFree to startFree, with paid upgrades4.7
Perplexity app iconPerplexityFree to startFree, with paid upgrades4.8
Ollama app iconOllamaFree, open sourceFreeToo few ratings
Littlebird app iconLittlebirdFree to startFree, with paid upgradesToo few ratings

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The alternatives, in order

  1. 1ChatGPT app icon

    ChatGPT

    Free to startBest alternative4.8

    Pick it if you want 1 assistant you can type to, talk to or show photos on every device.

    The AI assistant to start with if you want to type, talk and show photos to 1 app on both iPhone and Mac.

    Prices and full verdictApp Store
  2. 2Claude app icon

    Claude

    Free to startBest free4.7

    Pick this if you write or code for a living and want an AI that reasons through problems with you.

    A thoughtful AI partner for writing, research and code, with a free plan that already searches the web and reads your files.

    Prices and full verdictApp Store
  3. 3LM Studio app icon

    LM Studio

    Free

    Pick it if you have an Apple silicon Mac with more than 8 GB of RAM and want AI that stays offline.

    A free way to run open AI models like Qwen and DeepSeek on your own Mac, fully offline and private.

    Prices and full verdictDeveloper's site
  4. 4Draw Things app icon

    Draw Things

    Free to start4.4

    Pick it if you want to generate and edit AI images on your own device, with control over models and settings.

    A free offline AI image generator for iPhone, iPad and Mac with inpainting, ControlNet and LoRA training.

    Prices and full verdictApp Store
  5. 5Gemini app icon

    Gemini

    Free to start4.7

    Pick it if your email, files and calendar already sit in Gmail, Google Drive and Google Calendar.

    The AI assistant to pick if your email, files and calendar already live with Google, with a free Mac app on top.

    Prices and full verdictApp Store
  6. 6Perplexity app icon

    Perplexity

    Free to start4.8

    Pick this if you want answers with a link to every source, and you ask from an iPhone or iPad.

    AI answers that show their homework, with a link to every source, free for everyday questions.

    Prices and full verdictApp Store
  7. 7Ollama app icon

    Ollama

    Free, open source

    Pick it if you want private AI on your Mac or need a local model for apps and coding tools.

    The open-source engine for running AI models on your own Mac, with optional cloud models when you need speed.

    Prices and full verdictDeveloper's site
  8. 8Littlebird app icon

    Littlebird

    Free to start

    Pick it if you want AI that already knows what you worked on today without you explaining it.

    An AI assistant for your Mac that remembers what you worked on, so you can ask about it without explaining.

    Prices and full verdictDeveloper's site
Locally AI app icon

When Locally AI is still the right pick

You want an AI chat you can use offline, with no account and nothing leaving your device.

Locally AI prices and verdictFree