Free plans compared
Best Free Tools to Run AI Locally & Privately (2026)
Running a model locally keeps prompts on your own machine and avoids per-message fees. The tools below make that practical, from simple desktop apps to full chat interfaces. Your computer's memory and graphics hardware decide which models run well.
Disclosure: some Visit links may be affiliate links, and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details come from official pricing and product pages, last reviewed 2026-10-15; this is not a hands-on test. Confirm current limits with the provider.
What to check before you choose
- Is it open source, and which models can it run?
- Does it provide a chat interface, an API or both?
- Does it run on your operating system and hardware?
- Can it search your own documents privately?
How we chose: tools listed here have an active product, a free plan or free tier, and pricing we could confirm from the provider. Retired or paid-only tools are left out automatically.
Quick comparison of free plans
| Tool | Free plan | No card needed | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ollama | Local use is free; the free account includes limited cloud access. | — | macOS, Windows, Linux, API |
| LM Studio | The free plan covers local models and local Bionic features. | — | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Jan | The desktop application is free and open source. Paid provider API calls and computer hardware are separate. | — | macOS, Windows, Linux, API |
| GPT4All | The GPT4All application is free and open source. | — | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Open WebUI | Core self-hosted use is free under the current licence; enterprise licensing is available. | — | Web |
| AnythingLLM | Desktop and self-hosted software are free; hosted Cloud Basic is USD 50/month and Pro USD 99/month. | — | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| LibreChat | LibreChat's open-source software is free to self-host. Servers, model APIs and optional connected services may cost money. | — | Web |
| Msty | Core Studio Desktop features have continuing free access. Studio Web and advanced Studio tools require an eligible Aurum or team license. | — | Web |
| LobeHub | The hosted Free plan renews a limited monthly credit allowance. | Yes | Web |
| InvokeAI | 0 licensed. You supply compatible hardware, models and any paid hosting services; model licenses remain separate. | — | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux |
| RAGFlow | The open-source engine is free under its repository licence. | — | Web, API |
The tools, in detail
Ollama provides a local runtime for supported language models and an API for applications.
Best for: Local model APIs and developer prototypes
Free plan: Local use is free; the free account includes limited cloud access. Pro and Max cloud plans are paid. Hardware, electricity and each model’s licence remain your responsibility.
Key features
- Local model runtime
- Model library
- Command-line chat
- Local API
Limits to know
- Your computer must have enough memory for the selected model
- Model licences are separate from the runtime and must be checked for reuse
LM Studio runs downloaded models on your desktop and offers the Bionic agent for work with local files.
Best for: Desktop local AI and model experiments
Free plan: The free plan covers local models and local Bionic features. Bionic+ is listed at USD 20/month; cloud allowances and add-on credits apply separately.
Key features
- Local model downloads
- Desktop chat
- Bionic agent
- Local voice transcription
Limits to know
- Large models need sufficient memory and disk space
- Cloud features introduce separate usage limits and a different data path
Jan is an open-source desktop assistant that can run downloaded models locally or connect to online providers.
Best for: Offline desktop conversations with local models
Free plan: The desktop application is free and open source. Paid provider API calls and computer hardware are separate. Features labelled coming soon on the website are not included here.
Key features
- Local model chat
- Offline inference
- Remote provider connections
- Desktop interface
Limits to know
- Offline quality and speed depend on the model and hardware
- Connecting a remote provider changes where prompts are processed
GPT4All is Nomic’s local desktop model application with LocalDocs for asking questions about a document collection.
Best for: Local desktop document questions
Free plan: The GPT4All application is free and open source. Local hardware and the selected model’s reuse licence still matter; this listing does not imply free Nomic enterprise services.
Key features
- Local desktop chat
- LocalDocs retrieval
- Model downloads
- Windows app
Limits to know
- Document retrieval can miss a relevant passage or misinterpret it
- Model downloads consume disk space and inference depends on available memory
Open WebUI is a self-hosted browser interface for local and connected models.
Best for: Self-hosted chat for local and connected models
Free plan: Core self-hosted use is free under the current licence; enterprise licensing is available. Hosting and connected model APIs are separate costs. Read the branding exceptions before redistributing.
Key features
- Self-hosted web chat
- Ollama connection
- Connected model APIs
- Document retrieval
Limits to know
- Self-hosting requires updates, access controls and backup maintenance
- Current branding rules restrict some larger rebranded deployments
AnythingLLM combines document workspaces, model connections and agents.
Best for: Document chat workspaces and self-hosted RAG
Free plan: Desktop and self-hosted software are free; hosted Cloud Basic is USD 50/month and Pro USD 99/month. Bring-your-own model/API usage can cost extra.
Key features
- Document workspaces
- Retrieval augmented chat
- Model provider connections
- Agent tools
Limits to know
- A workspace answer still needs checking against the retrieved document
- Cloud plans do not remove separate model-provider or hosting costs
Self-host a multi-model AI chat interface with agents, file conversations, artifacts, and optional MCP tools.
Best for: LibreChat suits individuals or technical teams who can operate their own web application.
Free plan: LibreChat's open-source software is free to self-host. Servers, model APIs and optional connected services may cost money. The public demo is for evaluation only and should not hold private information or material you need to retain. Operating your own instance requires updates and configuration.
Key features
- Multiple model providers
- File-aware agents
- Chat artifacts
- MCP connections
Limits to know
- Hosting and maintenance are the operator's responsibility
- Free software does not include free model inference
Use local and online models in a desktop AI workspace with knowledge collections, personas, and repeatable workflows.
Best for: Msty suits people who want local and online model work in the same desktop environment.
Free plan: Core Studio Desktop features have continuing free access. Studio Web and advanced Studio tools require an eligible Aurum or team license. Online model charges, local hardware and other Msty products are separate considerations; a Studio license is not a bundle of unlimited inference.
Key features
- Local and online models
- Knowledge Stacks
- Persona conversations
- Split chats
Limits to know
- Advanced and web features depend on the license
- External providers or local compute have separate costs
Build a shared AI workspace with model conversations, reusable agents, project context, and scheduled tasks.
Best for: LobeHub suits people organizing several AI tasks around a project rather than keeping isolated chats.
Free plan: The hosted Free plan renews a limited monthly credit allowance. Storage and model eligibility are restricted, and advanced agent or team features depend on the plan. Provider-key and self-hosted arrangements have separate model, infrastructure and licensing considerations.
Key features
- Multi-model conversations
- Agent builder
- Agent groups
- Project workspaces
Limits to know
- Free credits and storage are limited
- Connected agent actions require careful permission choices
Run an open-source image studio locally with a layered canvas, model management, ControlNet guidance, and visual workflows.
Best for: InvokeAI suits creators who can provide suitable local hardware and want control over an image-generation setup.
Free plan: The community software is free and Apache-2.0 licensed. You supply compatible hardware, models and any paid hosting services; model licenses remain separate. The former hosted Invoke service is discontinued. Check the current installation requirements, including supported GPUs and Apple Silicon requirements, before downloading large models.
Key features
- Layered image canvas
- Node-based workflows
- Model manager
- ControlNet guidance
Limits to know
- Suitable hardware and storage are required
- Separate model licenses can restrict use
RAGFlow is an open-source retrieval-augmented generation engine combining document parsing, retrieval and agent workflows.
Best for: Document retrieval pipelines with source references
Free plan: The open-source engine is free under its repository licence. Hosting, storage and connected inference services are separate costs; this listing does not promise a free managed deployment.
Key features
- Document parsing
- Knowledge collections
- Retrieval pipelines
- Source citations
Limits to know
- Parsing and retrieval settings need evaluation on your own file formats
- Running the service requires infrastructure and model resources
Quick decision guide
- Want to avoid entering a card? LobeHub.
- Prefer open source? Ollama, Jan, GPT4All, AnythingLLM, LibreChat, InvokeAI, RAGFlow.
Head-to-head comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a powerful computer to run AI locally?
Smaller models run on ordinary laptops, but larger ones need more memory and a good graphics card. Start with a small model and see how it performs.
Is local AI really private?
Prompts stay on your machine, but check whether a tool sends usage data or connects to online services. Review its settings and documentation.
Which tools to run AI locally here need no credit card?
Based on the official pages we reviewed, LobeHub is listed as not needing a credit card to start. Confirm at sign-up, because plans change.
How current is this list?
Tool details were last reviewed 2026-10-15 from official pages. Free plans change often, so check the linked pricing page before you rely on a limit.