LLM Bench vs Sidecar ML
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
LLM Bench
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LLM Bench is an iOS test bench for developers comparing on-device LLM behavior under real device constraints. Run the same prompt against selected local model targets and compare the evidence before choosing what belongs in your app. LLM Bench focuses on practical signals: load time, first output time, generation time, output speed, memory, thermal state, model readiness, raw output text, failures, and saved run history. Use LLM Bench to: - Compare GPU-capable local model runs on iPhone and iPad. - Run repeatable prompts against selected model targets. - Inspect model output, timing, memory, and thermal state in one place. - Save benchmark runs for later review. - Export benchmark evidence as CSV. - Add models from Hugging Face URLs, direct file URLs, or local imports when the artifact format is supported. LLM Bench is built for technical builders who want a compact measurement tool, not a leaderboard or generic AI chat app. It helps you answer the practical question: which local model behaves well enough on this device for this use case? The free tier includes one completed benchmark run. Subscribing unlocks ongoing benchmarking, saved comparison work, and export workflows. Premium is available as an auto-renewing subscription (monthly or yearly), or a one-time Lifetime purchase. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at purchase; subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Privacy Policy: https://thedandano.github.io/michilotl-studios-docs/apps/llm-bench/privacy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Sidecar ML
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Turn your iPhone into a private, on-device AI server for your whole network. Sidecar ML runs a lightweight HTTP server on your iPhone that exposes Apple's built-in machine-learning models to any device on your local network. Tap Start Server, scan the QR code, and your Mac, PC, Raspberry Pi, or browser can call powerful on-device AI over plain REST ā no cloud, no accounts, no API keys, no usage fees, and no data leaving your network. Everything runs on the phone. Nothing is uploaded to a server and there's nothing to pay for. (The one exception, music recognition, matches against Apple's catalog and tells you so up front.) ONE IPHONE, A DOZEN AI CAPABILITIES ⢠Chat with the on-device large language model through a chat-completions endpoint that's compatible with the popular OpenAI API format ā streaming, JSON mode, and structured output included. Point existing tools and SDKs at your phone and they just work. ⢠Generate images from a text prompt in a choice of art styles. ⢠OCR ā pull text out of photos, receipts, and screenshots with per-line boxes and multi-language support. ⢠Read barcodes and QR codes (EAN, Code128, and more). ⢠Classify images across roughly a thousand categories, or produce image embeddings for similarity search. ⢠Remove backgrounds and isolate subjects or people as clean PNG cut-outs. ⢠Detect faces and facial landmarks, body pose, and hand pose. ⢠Scan documents with automatic edge detection and perspective correction. ⢠Convert speech to text and text to speech, with a wide range of voices (including Personal Voice). ⢠Translate text between languages completely offline. ⢠Analyse text: language, sentiment, named entities, tokens, and embeddings. ⢠Classify sounds across hundreds of categories, or identify the music that's playing. BUILT FOR DEVELOPERS AND MAKERS ⢠Clean REST + Server-Sent Events API ā call it from curl, Python, JavaScript, or any HTTP client. ⢠Chat endpoint compatible with the OpenAI format, so many existing tools and SDKs work unchanged. ⢠Automatic discovery on your network via Bonjour. ⢠Honest capability reporting: ask the server what it can do and it tells you exactly what's available on your device, and why. ⢠Optional bearer-token authentication to lock the server down on shared networks. FREE WEB CONSOLE AND CODE EXAMPLES A ready-to-use web console ā plus Python examples, a command-line client, and full API documentation ā is free and open-source. Download the single-file console and browse the source here: https://github.com/AndersFB/Sidecar-ML-Console/ Open the console in any browser, enter your phone's address, and try every capability with a friendly UI ā nothing to install. GOOD TO KNOW ⢠The on-device large language model and image generation require an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone. The other capabilities run on a much wider range of devices. ⢠The server runs while the app is in the foreground; a keep-awake option helps during longer sessions. ⢠Some features (offline translation language pairs and certain speech models) download their models on first use. Turn the iPhone in your pocket into a private AI endpoint for your projects, your home lab, and your prototypes ā Sidecar ML.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sidecar ML at none against LLM Bench's 3. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. LLM Bench sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Sidecar ML asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | LLM Bench | Sidecar ML |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | ā | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No ā better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad ā better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 92 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dan Sedano | Anders Fog Bunzel |
In-app purchases
LLM Bench
- Monthly Premium$2.991 Month
- Yearly Premium$29.991 Year
- Lifetime Premium$49.99
Sidecar ML
No in-app purchases








