Hi HN,<p>I’m excited to share LocoStudio (<a href="http://locostudio.ai" rel="nofollow">http://locostudio.ai</a>), a local-first AI chat app for Mac that lets you chat with AI models both locally and in the cloud—all in one place.<p>Why I built it:
I wanted a private, fast, and flexible way to use the latest AI models without sending my data to the cloud. Most AI chat apps are either cloud-only (raising privacy concerns) or have clunky interfaces for local models. LocoStudio aims to make local AI chat as easy and powerful as using ChatGPT, but with your data staying on your device.<p>What it does:<p>- Private, local-first: Run open models (like Llama, Mistral, DeepSeek, Gemma) directly on your Mac—no internet required.
- Cloud when you need it: Seamlessly switch to cloud models (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini) by plugging in your own API key—no subscriptions or data sharing.
- All-in-one UI: Chat with multiple models side-by-side to compare answers and find the best fit for your needs.
- Rich context: Chat with PDFs, YouTube videos, images, and even website content.
- Privacy-first: We never store or process your chats or API keys—everything happens on your device or directly with the provider.
- No account required: Download and start using immediately.<p>Other features:<p>- Analyze sensitive documents (PDFs, images) locally
- Web search integration
- Token stats and performance metrics
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Premium themes and UI customization (with purchase, helps support the app)
- Works fully offline<p>I’d love your feedback, questions, and suggestions!