Enchanted vs LM Studio
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted local llm runners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Enchanted | LM Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Proprietary |
| Language | Swift | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | binary | binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,002 | ★ 5,000 |
| First released | 2024 | 2023 |
| Replaces | ChatGPT | ChatGPT |
What are Enchanted and LM Studio?
Enchanted
Enchanted is an open-source, privacy-focused app that connects to a self-hosted Ollama server from Apple devices. It provides a native chat experience for private local models on the go.
- Native Apple app
- Connects to private Ollama
- Conversation history
- Prompt completions
LM Studio
LM Studio is a desktop application for finding, downloading, and running local large language models with a friendly interface. It includes a local inference server and developer SDKs, though the application itself is closed-source freeware.
- Visual model browser
- Local OpenAI-compatible server
- GGUF and MLX support
- Built-in chat UI
Enchanted vs LM Studio: key differences
Enchanted is written in Swift, while LM Studio is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Enchanted versus Proprietary for LM Studio. Enchanted is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 8,192 MB for LM Studio.
Why pick each one
Choose Enchanted if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 6k GitHub stars
- Written in Swift
Choose LM Studio if…
- Released under the Proprietary license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 5k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Enchanted or LM Studio better?
Neither is universally better. Enchanted has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Enchanted and LM Studio free and open-source?
Yes. Enchanted is licensed under Apache-2.0 and LM Studio under Proprietary. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Enchanted and LM Studio with Docker?
Enchanted: check the project docs for container support. LM Studio: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Enchanted or LM Studio?
Enchanted has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 8,192 MB for LM Studio. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.