Locally AI by LM Studio vs Cedar Assistant
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Locally AI by LM Studio
This app allows you to run powerful AI models directly on your iPhone or iPad without an internet connection. Enjoy complete privacy as no data is collected or sent to servers. It's optimized for Apple devices, offering fast and private AI interactions.
- Run AI models offline
- Private and no data collection
- Supports Llama, Gemma, Qwen, and more
- Optimized for Apple Silicon
- Chat, analyze images, generate text
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Run AI models like Llama, Gemma, Qwen, and more on your iPhone and iPad. Offline. Private. No login. No data collection. Powered by Apple MLX. Meet Locally AI by LM Studio, the AI app that respects your privacy. No login. No data collection. Just pure intelligence, running entirely on your iPhone and iPad. Why Locally AI? - 100% Offline: No internet needed. Chat anywhere. - Total Privacy: No login, no data collection. Your data stays on your device. - Optimized for Apple Silicon: Powered by Apple MLX for lightning-fast responses. - Multiple models supported: Run Llama 3.2, Google Gemma 2 & 3, Qwen 3, DeepSeek, and more. - Chat, Analyze, Create: Ask complex questions, analyze images, or generate text. Download Locally AI now! Privacy Policy: https://locallyai.app/privacy-policy.html Terms & Conditions: https://locallyai.app/terms.html
Cedar Assistant
This AI workspace allows users to select and utilize various language models for different tasks. It supports on-device processing, self-hosted open-source models, and cloud-based AI systems. Users can fine-tune settings, attach files, generate images, and view web citations.
- Choose from multiple AI models
- On-device processing with Apple Intelligence
- Connect to self-hosted Ollama servers
- Integrate with cloud models (Claude, OpenAI, Gemini)
- Fine-tune conversation settings
- Attach files and generate images
- View web citations
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Cedar is a flexible AI workspace for iPhone and iPad that lets you choose the right model for the job. Use Apple Intelligence for on-device experiences, connect to your own Ollama server for self-hosted open-source models, or work with cloud models from Claude, OpenAI, and Gemini, all from one app. Switch between providers and models per conversation, fine-tune behavior with conversation-specific settings, attach files in supported workflows, generate images with supported OpenAI and Gemini models, and view web citations when supported responses include them. Cedar also brings Claude Managed Agents into the app, giving you a more powerful way to handle multi-step work and specialized assistants in one place. You stay in control of how each conversation is handled. Keep work on-device with Apple Intelligence, route it through your own Ollama setup, or use connected providers when you want access to their hosted models and tools. Cedar is designed to make those choices clear and practical, while securely storing API keys in Keychain. Whether you want private on-device help, self-hosted open-source models, or access to leading cloud AI systems, Cedar makes it easy to move between them without changing apps or workflows. It’s built for people who want one place to explore, compare, and work with modern AI on their own terms.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cedar Assistant at none against Locally AI by LM Studio's 1. Cedar Assistant also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Locally AI by LM Studio's advantage is ratings volume (1.9K vs 1) and iOS requirement (18.1 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Locally AI by LM Studio sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $8.99 per month. Cedar Assistant asks for nothing beyond the download.
Cedar Assistant holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Locally AI by LM Studio has 1.9K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Locally AI by LM Studio | Cedar Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (1.9K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 75.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1.9K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.1 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 112 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Element Labs Inc | Matthew Woodruff |
Customer experience
Locally AI by LM Studio
Cedar Assistant
Bugs and requests
Locally AI by LM Studio
Reported bugs
2 issues- Stops responding when Airplane mode is turned on
- Interface issues on iPhone 15 Pro
Requested features
4 requests- Add option to switch between downloaded models
- Implement autoscroll feature
- Add support for more model types (e.g. SolvLM2, Grante Vision)
- Allow users to add models from Hugging Face
Cedar Assistant
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Locally AI by LM Studio
- Plus Monthly$8.991 Month
Cedar Assistant
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Locally AI by LM Studio free?
Is Cedar Assistant free?
Which has better reviews, Locally AI by LM Studio or Cedar Assistant?
Do Locally AI by LM Studio or Cedar Assistant have ads?
Which is updated more often, Locally AI by LM Studio or Cedar Assistant?
Other comparisons
