FastChat 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.
Not the right match-up?
FastChat
Platform for serving and evaluating large language models
VS
LM Studio
Desktop app to discover, download, and run local LLMs
| Feature | FastChat | LM Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Proprietary |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 39,516 | ★ 5,000 |
| First released | 2023 | 2023 |
| Replaces | OpenAI API | ChatGPT |
Why pick each one
Choose FastChat if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 39.5k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
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 FastChat or LM Studio better?
Neither is universally better. FastChat has the larger community, while LM Studio is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are FastChat and LM Studio free and open-source?
Yes. FastChat is licensed under Apache-2.0 and LM Studio under Proprietary. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run FastChat and LM Studio with Docker?
FastChat: yes. LM Studio: check the project docs for container support.