DictaFlow

September 13, 2026

Best Local AI Apps in 2026: 6 Picks That Run on Your Device

Six useful tools that keep a real part of the work on your hardware, covering dictation, models, documents, code, and images.

Laptop connected to six symbols for useful local AI apps

Disclosure: We make DictaFlow, so take our ranking with that in mind. We put it first because we believe it is the most useful everyday app in this group. It will not be the right choice for every local AI job.

"Local AI" covers an odd mix of software. Some of it takes dictation. Some runs language models, searches your documents, or makes images. A single benchmark would tell you very little about which app belongs on your computer.

Our ranking is an editorial call about day-to-day usefulness. It is not a lab test. DictaFlow is #1, but someone building against a local API may start with Ollama. An artist may skip straight to Draw Things.

#1: DictaFlow puts local AI where you already type

DictaFlow does not ask you to move your work into a model window. Hold the trigger, speak, and release. Your words appear at the cursor in the app you were already using, whether that is an email, note, prompt, or longer draft.[1]

For offline use, the setting matters. DictaFlow Local Offline recognizes speech on your device and works without an internet connection. Pro local dictation is unlimited. Those locally dictated words do not use the plan's cloud AI allowance.[1]

Cloud AI modes are separate. DictaFlow says those modes provide stronger cleanup and reasoning, while AI Refine and email rewriting are also cloud-based. Pick Local Offline when you need dictation to stay on the device. Do not assume the same about every feature in the app.[1][2]

We kept DictaFlow at the top for a plain reason: dictation can show up in many small parts of a normal workday. That is our judgment, not a claim that it replaces a chatbot, model server, or image tool. It does not.

After DictaFlow, the list branches out. Three choices run language models, one is built around your documents, and another makes images on Apple devices. They are not substitutes for one another, so the job matters more than the number.

#2: LM Studio starts with the desktop

LM Studio is the approachable pick if you would rather browse models than begin in a terminal. Its desktop app can download supported models, chat with them, and run them locally. It is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.[3]

There is more behind the interface. The Developer tab can serve a model on localhost or your local network. LM Studio documents a REST API, JavaScript and Python libraries, plus endpoints compatible with OpenAI and Anthropic. That leaves room to start visually and connect the model to your own software later.[4]

#3: Ollama feels more like a building block

Ollama makes sense when the local model is part of something else you are building. Install it, choose a model, and connect a script, editor, agent, or app. Its local API uses http://localhost:11434/api by default, and the official docs include Python and JavaScript libraries.[6]

The API is deliberately direct. You do not need to design a model runtime before trying a local prototype, and several apps can call the same service.

Ollama's current documentation covers cloud models as well as local ones. If local execution is your goal, choose a model you downloaded to the device. We rank Ollama third for general use, though it may be the first tool a developer reaches for.[5]

#4: AnythingLLM is built around your files

AnythingLLM Desktop is for the point where "run a model" becomes "ask questions about this folder." It supports local language models, document chat, RAG, and agents on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Its documentation calls the desktop edition a single-user app with little to no setup.[7]

A file can be attached in full when it fits the model's context window. For larger material, RAG breaks it into sections and retrieves passages related to the question. AnythingLLM exposes settings for those two approaches instead of hiding the choice.[8]

#5: Draw Things handles images on Apple devices

Draw Things generates images on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The company says its free edition downloads models and uses local computing for generation. It can also train LoRAs on the device.[9]

Community and paid options can use managed cloud computing too. Local work is still available, but the edition and compute choice matter. Among these six apps, Draw Things is the dedicated pick for image generation on Apple hardware.[9]

#6: Jan is the open chat option

Jan takes a more familiar route. Its docs describe Jan as an open-source alternative to ChatGPT and Claude. The desktop app runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux, and Jan says it can work fully offline.[10]

It also includes a local OpenAI-compatible server and lets you switch between local and frontier models. That switch changes where the model runs, so choose a local model when you want the work done on your own hardware.[10]

We placed Jan sixth because this ranking gives LM Studio's model-lab approach the edge. If an open desktop stack matters more to you, that order can flip.

Pick the job first

The numbered order is less useful once you know what you want to do.

  • For speech-to-text inside your usual apps, start with DictaFlow Local Offline.
  • LM Studio gives you a visual route into desktop models.
  • Ollama is the direct route to a local model API.
  • AnythingLLM is meant for chats grounded in files and workspaces.
  • Draw Things covers local image work on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
  • Jan gives you an open-source desktop chat with local model support.

Check each vendor's current system requirements before downloading a large model. Local speed and the models you can use depend on your hardware. In practice, a smaller model that runs well can be more useful than a larger one that hardly runs.

Try local dictation in your normal work

If typing takes up most of your day, try DictaFlow free. Choose Local Offline mode for on-device dictation without an internet connection. Cloud AI modes remain separate when you want their cleanup or reasoning features.[1][2]

Frequently asked questions

What is the most practical local AI app for everyday use?

We put DictaFlow first because dictation can help with email, notes, documents, and AI prompts across the day. DictaFlow publishes this article, so that ranking is our editorial opinion. A developer, researcher, or artist may use Ollama, AnythingLLM, or Draw Things more often.

Do all six apps work without internet?

Each app has a useful local path, though setup and added features vary. You will usually need internet access to download the app or model first. DictaFlow keeps Local Offline dictation separate from cloud AI modes. Ollama and Draw Things also have cloud options alongside local use.[1][5][9]

Is DictaFlow fully local?

No. DictaFlow Local Offline dictation runs on your device without an internet connection. Its cloud AI modes are separate and process content online for extra cleanup or reasoning. Pro includes unlimited Local Offline dictation, and local words do not count against the cloud AI allowance.[1][2]

Does local AI guarantee privacy?

No. Check the mode in use, model source, integrations, network settings, and update behavior. Several apps here support both local and cloud use. Installing one on your device does not make every feature offline.

Official sources