LM Studio vs One API
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?
LM Studio
Desktop app to discover, download, and run local LLMs
VS
One API
Unified OpenAI-compatible gateway for many LLM providers
| Feature | LM Studio | One API |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | Proprietary | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,000 | ★ 36,253 |
| First released | 2023 | 2023 |
| Replaces | ChatGPT | OpenAI API, OpenRouter |
Why pick each one
Choose LM Studio if…
- Released under the Proprietary license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 5k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose One API if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 36.3k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is LM Studio or One API better?
Neither is universally better. One API 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 LM Studio and One API free and open-source?
Yes. LM Studio is licensed under Proprietary and One API under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run LM Studio and One API with Docker?
LM Studio: check the project docs for container support. One API: yes.