Filtered ranking
Best Local LLM Runners for Linux in 2026
5 of the 7 local LLM runners ranked on listme.name match: they officially support Linux. The order uses the same scores as the full ranking.
The ranking
- 1
Ollama
The simplest way to run open models locally on macOS, Linux and Windows, with an MIT-licensed runtime. Cloud models and higher tiers are paid, and speed depends on your hardware.
Best for Running open models from a command line
macOSLinuxWindowsFree plan, paid upgradesOpen source
- 2
LM Studio
The friendliest graphical way to download and chat with local models, with a local server for other tools. The app is closed source, unlike llama.cpp or Jan, and it is aimed at desktops rather than servers.
Best for Trying local models through a polished desktop app
WindowsmacOSLinuxFree
- 3
GPT4All
A desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux with local document chat and an MIT license. It offers fewer controls than the llama.cpp engine it builds on.
Best for Desktop chat with local documents
WindowsmacOSLinuxFree and open sourceOpen source
- 4
Jan
An open-source desktop chat app for macOS, Windows and Linux that runs offline and can connect to cloud providers. It is a finished app rather than an engine, so it gives less developer control than llama.cpp.
Best for Offline chat on a personal computer
macOSWindowsLinuxFree and open sourceOpen source
- 5
llamafile
Packages a model and its runtime into one executable that runs on macOS, Linux, Windows and BSD. Windows cannot run executables over 4 GB, which rules out larger models there.
Best for Sharing a model as a single portable file
Command linemacOSLinuxWindowsFree and open sourceOpen source
At a glance
| Product | Score | Price | Platforms | Interface | Model format | Cloud option |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ollama | 92.0 | Free plan, paid upgrades | macOSLinuxWindows | Command line | Its own model library | Paid cloud models |
 LM Studio | 89.0 | Free | WindowsmacOSLinux | Desktop chat app with local server | Downloadable local models | Not listed |
 GPT4All | 87.5 | Free and open source | WindowsmacOSLinux | Desktop chat app | Thousands of supported models | Separate hosted plans from Nomic |
 Jan | 86.0 | Free and open source | macOSWindowsLinux | Desktop chat app with local API | Local models | Optional cloud providers |
 llamafile | 81.0 | Free and open source | Command linemacOSLinuxWindows | Single executable | Single-file model bundles | Not listed |