Side by side
Lightning AI Studios vs MLX
Both stand on deep learning software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Choose Lightning AI Studios if you want a persistent GPU workspace with browser coding tools, collaboration, and deployment support. The Free plan gives a way to start, though the four-hour restart requirement may not suit uninterrupted work. Teams or Enterprise may fit larger workloads, with Teams offering higher GPU and storage allowances and Enterprise supporting deployment in your own VPC.
Visit Lightning AI StudiosChoose MLX if you want a free, MIT-licensed framework with tools for machine learning research, training, and deployment. Its design centers on Apple silicon, so those seeking a framework outside that focus should look elsewhere.
Visit MLXThe facts
| Lightning AI Studios | MLX | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | No | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | iPhone, Linux, Mac |
| Lowest paid plan | Pro: $20 a month | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 8 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | lightning.ai | opensource.apple.com |
| On deep learning software | #11 of 35 | #15 of 35 |
Lightning AI Studios: what it does well
- Includes browser-accessible VS Code and JupyterLab.
- Saves installed packages, Python versions, and downloaded files.
- Supports real-time collaboration and private projects.
- Connects local IDEs over SSH and supports workflow automation.
- Offers up to 12 concurrent GPUs on listed Teams plans.
What to know first
- The Free active Studio requires a restart every four hours.
- Pro and Teams annual plans are listed with storage limits.
- The listed paid monthly prices are 50.00 USD for Pro and $140 per user for Teams.
MLX: what it does well
- Free plan costs nothing.
- Optimized for Apple silicon's unified memory architecture.
- Offers neural network and optimizer packages.
- Supports automatic differentiation and graph optimization transformations.
- Runs supported operations on CPU or GPU.
What to know first
- The framework is designed for Apple silicon.
- The listed platforms are iOS, Linux, and macOS.
Alternatives to Lightning AI Studios Alternatives to MLX The whole list