Twoody
Local LLM on Mac
Run an LLM locally on your Mac
A large language model can run entirely on your Mac: private, offline and free. What you need, which model to choose, and the simplest way to start. On a PC, Twoody also exists for Windows and Linux.
Why run an LLM on your Mac
The model answers and reads your files on the machine. It works without internet. There is no subscription, no quota, and no account needed. The trade-off: a model that fits a Mac is smaller than the largest online models — excellent for writing, summaries and your documents, less so for the hardest reasoning.
What you need
A Mac with Apple Silicon (M1 or later) runs models comfortably; an Intel Mac runs small ones, slowly, on its processor. Memory decides the model: 8 GB for about 4 billion parameters, 16 GB for 8 billion, 24 GB for 14 billion, 48 GB and more for the largest models a laptop can hold.
Which model to choose
Qwen3.5 writes well in many languages at every size; Llama, Gemma, Mistral and gpt-oss are good alternatives. Start with the model that fits your memory comfortably: a larger one that makes your Mac swap is slower than a smaller one.
Three ways to do it
- Twoody — an app that suggests the model for your Mac and installs it in one click; it reads your folders of documents and cites them. Runs on Intel Macs and macOS 13, and also exists for Windows and Linux.
- LM Studio — an app to explore thousands of models and their settings. Apple Silicon and macOS 14 or later.
- Ollama — an engine used from the terminal, an API or its app. macOS 14 or later.
With Twoody, in three steps
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1
Join the waitlist: Twoody is in private beta, on the Mac as on Windows and Linux, and we will write to you when it opens to you.
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2
Install the model it suggests for your Mac: 2.8 or 5.8 GB, one click.
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3
Ask your first question — and turn Wi-Fi off if you like.
Frequently asked questions
Is running an LLM locally on a Mac free?
Yes: the open-weight models are free to download, and apps like Twoody, LM Studio and Ollama are free. The only cost is your Mac's memory and electricity.
How much memory do I need to run an LLM on a Mac?
8 GB for a small model such as Qwen3.5 4B, 16 GB for Qwen3.5 9B, and more for the larger models of LM Studio or Ollama. The calculator shows what fits each Mac, and how fast.
Can I run a local LLM on an Intel Mac?
Yes, with Twoody, on macOS 13 or later: the model runs on the processor, so small models work, slowly. LM Studio and Ollama need macOS 14, and LM Studio an Apple Silicon Mac.
Is a local LLM as good as ChatGPT?
For everyday writing and questions about your documents, often close enough; for the hardest questions, no. In exchange, it is private, offline and free.
Twoody is in private beta.
On Mac, Windows and Linux, free, with no account and no subscription — and on iPhone and Android, with Twoody on your computer. Leave your email: we will write to you when Twoody opens to you.