MLX LM
Python package for running and tuning language models on Mac
- #9 of 10 in best local LLM runners
- Free and open source
- Free to use
- Open source
- macOSCommand line
Ranked 9 of 10 in best local LLM runners
MIT-licensed Python package for running and tuning models with MLX on Mac, installed with pip or conda. Large models need macOS 15.0 or later, and the tool is limited to Mac computers, so it ranks below the cross-platform runners.
Best for Python scripting of local models on a Mac
About MLX LM
MLX LM provides command-line and Python tools for loading models in the MLX format and generating text with them. The README shows installation with pip or conda and a load-and-generate example. It also lists distributed inference and fine-tuning through mx.distributed. The repository is MIT licensed and had about 7,300 stars when checked.
The README says large models require macOS 15.0 or higher, so the package is limited to Mac computers. It suits Mac users who want to script local models in Python or tune them. Users on Windows or Linux may compare Ollama or llama.cpp, which are both in this ranking.
Key features
- Python package
- Command-line tools
- Fine-tuning
- Distributed inference
- Model loading and generation
Strengths
- MIT-licensed Python package
- Installs with pip or conda
- Distributed inference with mx.distributed
Limits
- Runs only on Mac computers
- Large models need macOS 15.0 or higher
Where MLX LM ranks
How MLX LM compares
| Product | Score | Price | Platforms | Interface | Model format | Cloud option |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
#6 KoboldCpp | 84.5 | Free and open source | WindowsLinuxmacOS | Web interface (KoboldAI Lite) | GGUF | Not listed |
#7 textgen | 82.5 | Free and open source | LinuxWindowsmacOS | Desktop app | Local models loaded from disk | Not listed |
#8 llamafile | 81.0 | Free and open source | Command linemacOSLinuxWindows | Single executable | Single-file model bundles | Not listed |
| #9MLX LM | 80.0 | Free and open source | macOSCommand line | Command line and Python | MLX format models | Not listed |
#10 LocalAI | 79.0 | Free and open source | Self-hosted | Self-hosted server | Several model types | Not listed |
The full comparison table for best local LLM runners has all 10 products.
Questions about MLX LM
- Is MLX LM free?
- MLX LM can be used without paying: MIT-licensed package is free to install and use. Check the vendor’s pricing page for current limits.
- Is MLX LM open source?
- Yes. MLX LM publishes its source code under the MIT license.
- Which platforms does MLX LM support?
- MLX LM is available on: macOS, Command line.
- What is MLX LM best for?
- Python scripting of local models on a Mac. In our ranking of local LLM runners it is number 9 of 10 with a score of 80.0.
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<a href="https://listme.name/software/mlx-lm"><img src="https://listme.name/badge/mlx-lm.svg" height="28" alt="Ranked #9 of 10 local LLM runners on listme.name"></a>Articles that mention MLX LM
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