# Locally AI by LM Studio vs Cedar Assistant

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Locally AI by LM Studio | Cedar Assistant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/locally-ai-by-lm-studio/id6741426692/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cedar-assistant/id6755727821/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.9K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 75.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 112 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.1** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Element Labs Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652234264) | [Matthew Woodruff](https://appshunter.io/developer/1813012445) |

## What reviewers say

### Locally AI by LM Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/locally-ai-by-lm-studio/id6741426692)

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.

**Highlights:** Run AI models offline, Private and no data collection, Supports Llama, Gemma, Qwen, and more, Optimized for Apple Silicon, Chat, analyze images, generate text

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Monthly | $8.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Polished and user-friendly UI
- 🔒 Good privacy policy
- 🚀 Runs models quickly on device

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't work without internet connection
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Stops responding when Airplane mode is turned on
- Interface issues on iPhone 15 Pro

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cedar-assistant/id6755727821)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Locally AI by LM Studio free?

Locally AI by LM Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Cedar Assistant free?

Cedar Assistant is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Locally AI by LM Studio or Cedar Assistant?

Cedar Assistant is rated higher. Locally AI by LM Studio averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.9K ratings, while Cedar Assistant averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Locally AI by LM Studio or Cedar Assistant have ads?

Neither Locally AI by LM Studio nor Cedar Assistant shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Locally AI by LM Studio or Cedar Assistant?

Locally AI by LM Studio ships an update weekly, and Cedar Assistant weekly. Most recently, Locally AI by LM Studio was updated on October 30, 2026 and Cedar Assistant on October 16, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*