LM Mini vs. LM Studio
LM Studio is the best desktop app for running local LLMs. LM Mini is its mobile companion — same models on your phone, plus on-device inference when you're away from your Mac.
| Feature | LM Mini | LM Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, Android, macOS (LM Mini Home) | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| On-device phone inference | GGUF without desktop (starter models free; bigger and MLX models with Pro) | Not on mobile |
| Connect to same server | LAN (free) + Share with phone on Mac (Pro) | Local server only (desktop) |
| Model management UI | Mobile-optimized browser | Full desktop model manager |
| Apple Shortcuts | Native App Intents | None |
| Voice chat (STT/TTS, Kokoro) | Built-in | None |
| Group multi-model chat | Yes (Pro) | Single model per chat |
| Price | Free + Pro | Free desktop app |
| Source code | Open-source core (MIT); Pro features closed | Closed source app (open-source SDKs and CLI) |
Better together
Run LM Studio on your desktop for heavy 70B models. Use LM Mini on your phone on the same Wi‑Fi — or anywhere via Share with phone on Mac (Pro) — for the models already loaded on your machine. When offline, fall back to on-device models downloaded in LM Mini.
The mobile front-end for LM Studio
Free download · Same-Wi‑Fi LM Studio is free · Remote QR pairing with Pro, no port forwarding
Get LM Mini LM Mini Connect