{
  "slug": "lm-studio",
  "category": "ai-assistants",
  "name": "LM Studio",
  "description": "Desktop app for finding, downloading and running large language models locally, with a chat interface and a local API server.",
  "website": "https://lmstudio.ai",
  "license": null,
  "platforms": [
    "windows",
    "macos",
    "linux"
  ],
  "jurisdiction": null,
  "pick": false,
  "pick_reason": null,
  "disclosure": null,
  "grade": "C",
  "score": 72,
  "coverage": 100,
  "summary": "LM Studio scores 72 out of 100 (grade C) on the AI assistants criteria. It meets 6 of 8 criteria: no trackers or telemetry, no ads or data sales, no training on your data, runs locally, limited chat retention and no account needed. It does not meet open source and independent audit.",
  "url": "https://privacyratings.com/ai-assistants/lm-studio/",
  "markdown": "https://privacyratings.com/ai-assistants/lm-studio/index.md",
  "answers": {
    "open_source": {
      "title": "Open source",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Closed source. The lms command-line tool and SDKs are open source, but the app is not."
    },
    "no_trackers": {
      "title": "No trackers or telemetry",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://lmstudio.ai/app-privacy",
      "note": "No third-party trackers, and the app contacts LM Studio only for updates and model downloads. The website's Plausible analytics are cookieless and aggregate-only."
    },
    "no_ads": {
      "title": "No ads or data sales",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://lmstudio.ai/enterprise",
      "note": "Free to use, funded by paid enterprise plans, with no ads."
    },
    "independent_audit": {
      "title": "Independent audit",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "No independent audit is published."
    },
    "transparency_report": {
      "title": "Transparency report",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "user_notice": {
      "title": "Tells users about requests",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "tls": {
      "title": "TLS configuration",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "security_headers": {
      "title": "Security headers",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "web_standards": {
      "title": "Modern web standards",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "no_training": {
      "title": "No training on your data",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://lmstudio.ai/app-privacy",
      "note": "Prompts and responses stay on the device and are not retained by LM Studio."
    },
    "runs_locally": {
      "title": "Runs locally",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://lmstudio.ai/app-privacy",
      "note": "Models run entirely on the user's own computer and can work offline."
    },
    "chat_retention": {
      "title": "Limited chat retention",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://lmstudio.ai/app-privacy",
      "note": "Chats are stored only on the device."
    },
    "no_account_needed": {
      "title": "No account needed",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://lmstudio.ai/app-privacy",
      "note": "No account is needed."
    }
  },
  "tests": {
    "ssllabs": null,
    "observatory": null,
    "internetnl_web": null,
    "internetnl_mail": null,
    "trackers": [
      {
        "name": "Cloudflare Web Analytics",
        "host": "static.cloudflareinsights.com",
        "effect": "partial"
      },
      {
        "name": "Plausible",
        "host": "plausible.io",
        "effect": "partial"
      }
    ],
    "tested_at": "2026-10-01T06:38:50.250Z"
  },
  "last_modified": "2026-10-01T06:56:31Z"
}