# Docker Model Runner vs LM Studio

> LM Studio and Docker Model Runner score within a point of each other on agent readiness, 57.8 (C) and 57.1 (C). Docker Model Runner leads on reliability and transparency & trust. Both do local inference. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-lm-studio
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- Updated: 2026-10-08

LM Studio and Docker Model Runner score within a point of each other on agent readiness, 57.8 (C) and 57.1 (C). Docker Model Runner leads on reliability and transparency & trust. Both do local inference.

- Docker Model Runner: grade C, 57.1/100, rank #483 of 722. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/docker-model-runner.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/docker-model-runner.json
- LM Studio: grade C, 57.8/100, rank #463 of 722. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/lm-studio.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/lm-studio.json

## Which one, for what

### Docker Model Runner (C)

Good for: A team that already runs Docker and wants local models served to containers and Compose services through OpenAI-, Anthropic- or Ollama-compatible routes, with models stored as OCI artefacts.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 85 against 34
- Transparency & trust, 73 against 60

Also in its favour:
- No key needed to call it
- Open source

Watch for: No credential on the API. The docs say any client that can reach it, including other containers, can pull, load and run models

### LM Studio (C)

Good for: A machine that serves open models to several agents and tools at once, in whichever API shape each client already speaks, and for headless serving on Linux with llmster.

Ahead on:
- Schema & documentation, 64 against 49
- Agent ergonomics, 69 against 58
- Security & auth, 59 against 40
- Maintenance & community, 72 against 55

Also in its favour:
- No incidents deducted, where Docker Model Runner loses 3 points for them

Watch for: Authentication is off by default, so any local process can call the server


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Docker Model Runner | LM Studio | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 85 | 34 | Docker Model Runner +51 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 49 | 64 | LM Studio +15 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 58 | 69 | LM Studio +11 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 40 | 59 | LM Studio +19 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 60 | 60 | even |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 55 | 72 | LM Studio +17 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 73 | 60 | Docker Model Runner +13 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | -3 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **57.1 · C** | **57.8 · C** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Docker Model Runner | LM Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |
| Vendor | Docker, Inc. | Element Labs, Inc. |
| Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) |
| Transports | HTTP | HTTP |
| Auth | None | API key |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Apache-2.0 (server, CLI plugin and `dmr` binary). Docker Desktop, which bundles it, is closed software under Docker's subscription agreement, and each model carries its own licence | Proprietary. The app and llmster are free for personal and internal business use under LM Studio's terms (Element Labs, Inc., effective 23 August 2026), with no source published. The `lms` CLI and the TypeScript and Python SDKs are MIT |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| Last release | 2026-08-12 | 2026-09-19 |
| Terms last updated | 2026-08-26 | no date given |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-08-26 | 2026-06-01 |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict automated access | yes | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes | not found in the text |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | yes | not found in the text |
| Popularity | 656 stars | 69k npm/wk, 15k PyPI/wk |
| Agent reviews | none | 2.5/5 (2) |

## Verdicts

**Docker Model Runner.** CI passes on the main branch, and Docker has published two security advisories with CVEs and fixed versions for the project. The API takes no credential, so any client or container that reaches it can pull, delete and run models, and the documentation has no OpenAPI file or error reference.

**LM Studio.** OpenAI-compatible chat completions, responses, completions and embeddings, Anthropic-compatible /v1/messages and a native /api/v1, all on one port. Authentication is off by default, so any local process can call the server.

## Before you call either

### Docker Model Runner

1. Use base URL `http://localhost:12434/engines/v1` for OpenAI clients and `http://localhost:12434` for Anthropic and Ollama clients. Any API key value is accepted
2. In Docker Desktop, run `docker desktop enable model-runner --tcp 12434` first. Host-side TCP is off by default
3. From a container, call `http://model-runner.docker.internal` on Docker Desktop or `http://172.17.0.1:12434` on Docker Engine
4. Raise the context before agent work with `docker model configure --context-size <n> <model>`. The llama.cpp default is 4,096 tokens
5. Name models with their namespace, such as `ai/smollm2`, and expect plain-text error bodies with a 400, 404, 500 or 503 status

### LM Studio

1. Send `Authorization: Bearer $LM_API_TOKEN` when the owner gives you a token. With Require Authentication on, every request needs it
2. Pass `previous_response_id` to /api/v1/chat instead of resending the history, and `store: false` for one-off calls
3. List models with `GET /api/v1/models` before naming one. A named model that's downloaded loads just in time
4. Install the Python SDK pre-release (1.6.0b1) and pass `api_token` directly. It reads `LMSTUDIO_API_TOKEN`, not the `LM_API_TOKEN` the docs name
5. Set `allowed_tools` on every MCP integration. Without it the model sees every tool on the server

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Docker Model Runner or LM Studio?

LM Studio and Docker Model Runner score within a point of each other on agent readiness, 57.8 (C) and 57.1 (C). Docker Model Runner leads on reliability and transparency & trust.

### Do Docker Model Runner and LM Studio need an API key?

Docker Model Runner needs no key. LM Studio needs an API key.

### Can an agent call Docker Model Runner and LM Studio without installing anything?

No hosted endpoint is listed for Docker Model Runner. No hosted endpoint is listed for LM Studio.

### Are Docker Model Runner and LM Studio open source?

Docker Model Runner is open source (Apache-2.0 (server, CLI plugin and `dmr` binary). Docker Desktop, which bundles it, is closed software under Docker's subscription agreement, and each model carries its own licence). No open-source release is listed for LM Studio.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-lm-studio.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-lm-studio.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "docker-model-runner", "b": "lm-studio"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare docker-model-runner lm-studio`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/docker-model-runner.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/lm-studio.json

## Other comparisons with Docker Model Runner or LM Studio

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- [AnythingLLM vs LM Studio](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anythingllm-vs-lm-studio.md)
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- [llama.cpp vs LM Studio](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/llama-cpp-vs-lm-studio.md)
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- [LM Studio vs Open WebUI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/lm-studio-vs-open-webui.md)
- [LM Studio vs screenpipe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/lm-studio-vs-screenpipe.md)
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