LM Studio is a desktop-friendly way to run and test models. Ollama is a local model runtime with a developer-friendly command-line and API workflow. OpenWebUI is a browser interface that can sit on top of local or self-hosted model backends.
In practice
For a beginner, LM Studio often feels easiest. For developers and automation, Ollama is often convenient. For a shared web chat interface, OpenWebUI is often the missing front end.
What to watch
These tools can overlap and can also work together. Choose based on who will use the system, how it will be hosted, and what model backend you need.