Best Private LLM alternatives for iPhone and Mac in 2026
If you want what Private LLM does (AI chat that runs on your iPhone without internet) without paying $4.99 before you try it, Pinku (ours) and Locally AI are free to download, run models with Apple's MLX, work on iPhone and Mac and have the App Store privacy label Data Not Collected. Pinku's six models up to 1 GB are free, and its larger models are a one-time $9.99, with no subscription.
Choose Enclave if you also want cloud models (Claude, GPT, Gemini) in the same app, or PocketPal AI if you want to load any GGUF model from Hugging Face.
At a glance
| App | Price (US) | Models | iPhone and Mac | App Store privacy label | Version (date) | Rating (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinku: Private Local AI Chat Our app | Free; Pinku Pro $9.99 once | 12 models (Qwen3, Llama 3.2, Gemma 3, Gemma 3n, DeepSeek-R1 distill, SmolLM3, LFM2), 6 free | Yes | Data Not Collected | 1.0.8 (9 Oct 2026) | 4.7 (12 ratings) |
| Private LLM - Local AI Chat | $4.99 to download, no in-app purchases; Family Sharing | Many families: Llama 3.1/3.2, Qwen 2.5/3, Qwen 2.5 Coder up to 14B, Gemma 2/3, Phi 4, Mistral 7B, DeepSeek-R1 distill | Yes | Data Not Collected | 1.9.16 (14 Sep 2026) | 4.2 (734 ratings) |
| Locally AI by LM Studio | Free, no in-app purchases listed | Llama 3.2, Gemma 2 and 3, Qwen 3, DeepSeek and more | Yes | Data Not Collected | 1.65.0 (14 Sep 2026) | 4.7 (1,761 ratings) |
| Enclave - Local AI Assistant | Free; Pro $9.99; other purchases $0.99 to $9.99 | Hundreds of open models (Llama, DeepSeek, Gemma, Qwen, Phi, Mistral); cloud models with Pro | Yes | Data Not Linked to You | 1.77.0 (1 Oct 2026) | 4.7 (1,089 ratings) |
| PocketPal AI | Free; optional "pals" $0.99 to $2.99 | Any GGUF model from Hugging Face | iPhone and iPad | Data Not Collected | 1.19.1 (8 Oct 2026) | 4.1 (161 ratings) |
Prices are the US App Store price and in-app purchases on 11 October 2026. Ratings are the App Store average and number of ratings that day. All five work offline after a model is downloaded.
1. Pinku: Private Local AI Chat Our app
Best for: a free, small and simple offline chat on iPhone and Mac, with no account and no subscription.
- Runs models locally with Apple's MLX on the device GPU; after the model download it works in airplane mode.
- Only lists the models your device has memory for, and checks memory before loading, so it does not crash.
- Reasoning models (Qwen3, DeepSeek-R1, SmolLM3) that think before answering.
- Siri and Shortcuts, editable messages, Markdown for code and tables.
- Pro (one-time) adds the models over 1 GB up to Qwen3 8B, custom instructions, on-device dictation and read aloud.
- App in 8 languages, 21 MB, iOS 18.6 or later.
Limits: fewer models than Private LLM, Enclave or PocketPal, the largest is Qwen3 8B, it is text only, and it has only 12 ratings in the US so far.
2. Private LLM - Local AI Chat
Best for: people who want the widest choice of quantized models and are happy to pay once up front.
- Uses an mlc-llm based engine and OmniQuant quantization, according to the developer.
- Siri and Shortcuts integration.
- One purchase covers the family through Family Sharing.
- iOS 17 or later; the app download is 1.36 GB.
Limits: you pay before you can try it, the app is in English only, and it is the largest download here.
3. Locally AI by LM Studio
Best for: a completely free offline chat from the makers of LM Studio for desktop.
- Powered by Apple MLX, no login, no data collection.
- 11 languages, iOS 18.1 or later, 112 MB.
Limits: its App Store listing describes fewer features than the others (no mention of Siri, Shortcuts or voice).
4. Enclave - Local AI Assistant
Best for: people who want local models and, when needed, cloud models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and xAI in one app.
- Local models with no account; Pro adds cloud models without API keys and web search for them.
- On-device voice conversations, Siri and Shortcuts, reasoning display.
- 14 languages, 717 MB. Rated 17+.
Limits: cloud chats leave the device (the developer says they are not stored on its servers), and its privacy label is Data Not Linked to You rather than Data Not Collected.
5. PocketPal AI
Best for: tinkerers who want to search Hugging Face and load any GGUF model they like.
- Search, bookmark and download GGUF models from Hugging Face inside the app.
- English only, iOS 15.1 or later, 88 MB. Rated 17+.
Limits: you choose and size models yourself, which is harder for beginners, and it has the lowest rating here (4.1).
Who should use what
- You want to try offline AI before paying: Pinku (ours) or Locally AI.
- You want one purchase and no subscription: Pinku Pro ($9.99) or Private LLM ($4.99 up front).
- You want the most models, including 14B coders: Private LLM.
- You also want Claude, GPT or Gemini sometimes: Enclave Pro.
- You want any model from Hugging Face: PocketPal AI.
Use cases
- Chatting with an AI on a plane, in the mountains or anywhere without coverage.
- Asking about private or work topics without sending text to a server.
- Countries or networks where cloud AI services are blocked or slow.
- Drafting, summarising and brainstorming on a Mac without an API key.
How we checked
On 11 October 2026 we opened each app's US App Store page and Apple's lookup data: price and in-app purchases, version and release date, rating and number of ratings, languages, size, minimum iOS, Mac support and the privacy label. Model lists and features are taken from each developer's App Store description. We did not invent ratings or reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free alternative to Private LLM?
Yes. Pinku, Locally AI, Enclave and PocketPal AI are free to download and run models offline. Pinku's six models up to 1 GB are free; its larger models are a one-time $9.99.
Which offline AI app for iPhone does not collect data?
Pinku, Private LLM, Locally AI and PocketPal AI all show Data Not Collected on their App Store privacy labels. Enclave shows Data Not Linked to You.
Do these apps work without internet?
Yes, after you download a model. Enclave's optional cloud models need a connection.
Can I run a local LLM on Mac too?
Pinku, Private LLM, Locally AI and Enclave are listed for Mac as well as iPhone.
Is Private LLM a subscription?
No. It costs $4.99 to download in the US, with no in-app purchases listed, and it supports Family Sharing.
Sources
- Pinku (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6754878073 (11 October 2026)
- Private LLM (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6448106860 (11 October 2026)
- Locally AI by LM Studio (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6741426692 (11 October 2026)
- Enclave (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6476614556 (11 October 2026)
- PocketPal AI (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6502579498 (11 October 2026)