# PIES Studio

> PIES Studio is an AI app development studio: describe an application in plain English and it builds a real one, with a database, screens, logic, sign-in, documents, a mobile app and its own AI agents. The Hobby edition is a free desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux with a private AI that runs on your own computer. The Enterprise edition runs the same platform on your own servers, with every AI call governed and recorded. Made by PIES (Platform Instruments Enterprise Software), founded in Sydney, Australia, by Wayne Spencer and Simon Elaro.

## PIES Studio Hobby: the free desktop edition

PIES Studio Hobby is a free desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux that builds full applications from plain English, with a private AI that runs on your own computer.

- A complete application builder on your desktop: data model, screens, events, functions, sign-in, documents, PDF, a mobile app and AI agents, all from one definition.
- Build by describing what you want in plain English, or by hand in the visual editor. Both produce the same application.
- PIES Private AI Micro, a language model that runs on your own computer, is included and free. It makes no network calls.
- Works offline. No server to run, no telemetry, nothing phoning home.
- All 35 industry templates with sample data, usable offline.
- Code export: download the source of anything you build and run it without PIES.
- Free forever. It is the same editor as Enterprise, not a trial.

Honest limits:
- A free PIES account is needed to download it, so we can tell you about updates. The app itself never needs to sign in.
- PIES Private AI Micro handles chat, questions over your data, in-app chatbots, small edits and building one screen, data model or event at a time. Whole-application builds need a bigger model: your own cloud AI key, or PIES Enterprise or PIES Cloud.
- Micro needs 12 GB of memory (16 GB recommended) and 6 GB of free disk for a one-time model download. It is fast on Apple Silicon Macs and slower, CPU-only, on Intel Macs, Windows and Linux.
- Hobby is for one person. Teams, roles, boards, hosted agents, Git push, production deployment from the Studio and the full governance and audit features are Enterprise.
- PIES Studio is not open source. Hobby is free to use; the source of the apps you build is yours.
- Requirements: macOS 13 or later (Apple Silicon or Intel), Windows 10 or 11 64-bit, or Linux x64. 8 GB of memory for the Studio alone, 12 GB minimum and 16 GB recommended with Private AI Micro switched on. About 3 GB of disk for the app, plus 6 GB for the optional local model.

- [About PIES Studio Hobby](https://pies.io/hobby/): what it is, what it builds, requirements and limits
- [Download Hobby](https://pies.io/download/): free, for macOS, Windows and Linux
- [PIES Studio Hobby compared with Bolt, Lovable, Replit, Cursor and Bubble](https://pies.io/compare/): local vs cloud, free vs paid, who each suits

## Key facts
- Hobby (Free): PIES Private AI on your own machine, nothing to pay. Build your products with AI that runs on your computer (PIES Private AI Micro; 12 GB memory minimum, 16 GB recommended; fastest on Apple Silicon, CPU-only and slower on Intel Macs, Windows and Linux). No server needed and works offline; your data and your IP stay on your machine. The complete editor, database and builds, and all templates. Connect to Enterprise or PIES Cloud for cloud models and PIES Private AI Lite/Ultra.
- Enterprise (From US$425 per CPU per month, billed annually; 60-day free trial, no card): Runs on your own servers: on-premises, in your own cloud account, behind your firewall or fully air-gapped. Unlimited developers, unlimited users, unlimited application users and unlimited application agents. Licensed per CPU on the server that runs PIES Studio, never per user, developer or agent. Includes PIES LLM private models, Microsoft SSO, roles, AI governance, hosted agents, code export and support. The licence is a file and works offline.
- Cloud (Pricing announced at launch): PIES Studio hosted and run by PIES, launching November 2026. Early access is open.
- Partners and OEM (Custom): Reseller, distributor, managed-service and OEM licensing to embed PIES Studio or deploy it for clients.
- Enterprise plans: 4 CPUs US$32,000 a year; 8 CPUs US$60,000 a year; 16 CPUs US$108,000 a year; 32 CPUs US$192,000 a year; 64 CPUs US$326,400 a year; custom CPU counts are quoted.
- Enterprise installs on Docker or Kubernetes, on-premises or on AWS and Azure, including air-gapped networks with no internet access.

## Product
- [Platform overview](https://pies.io/platform/): build, run, agents, governance and the audit record
- [PIES AI](https://pies.io/pies-ai/): build from plain English with any model, agents, agent maps, PIES LLM private models
- [AI governance](https://pies.io/ai-governance/): policies, redaction, roles and audit for every AI call
- [Security](https://pies.io/security/): self-hosted, SSO, hardening, air-gapped

## Buying
- [Pricing](https://pies.io/pricing/): Hobby free, Enterprise per CPU, Cloud from November 2026, partners
- [Editions and trial](https://pies.io/editions/): what each edition includes and how the 60-day trial works
- [Download Hobby](https://pies.io/download/): free desktop edition for macOS, Windows and Linux
- [Start an Enterprise trial](https://account.pies.io/store/signup): 60 days, no card

## Questions people ask
- [Can I build apps with AI without sending my data to the cloud?](https://pies.io/faq/can-i-build-apps-with-ai-without-sending-my-data-to-the-cloud/): Yes. PIES Studio Hobby includes PIES Private AI Micro, a model that runs on your own computer and makes no network calls. Your brief, your data and the apps you build never leave your machine unless you choose to connect a cloud model.
- [Does PIES Studio Hobby work offline?](https://pies.io/faq/does-pies-studio-hobby-work-offline/): Yes. Hobby runs entirely on your desktop with no server, no telemetry and nothing phoning home. The editor, the database, builds, all 35 templates and PIES Private AI Micro all work with no internet connection.
- [How is PIES Studio Hobby different from Bolt, Lovable or Cursor?](https://pies.io/faq/how-is-pies-studio-hobby-different-from-bolt-lovable-or-cursor/): Bolt and Lovable build web apps in your browser with cloud AI and host them for you. Cursor is an AI code editor. PIES Studio Hobby is a free desktop app that builds the whole application (database, screens, logic, sign-in, mobile, AI agents) on your own machine, with a private AI that runs locally. Each has strengths.
- [Is PIES Studio Hobby really free? What are the limits?](https://pies.io/faq/is-pies-studio-hobby-really-free-what-are-the-limits/): Yes, free forever, with no trial clock and no card. The limits: a free account to download, one user, a local AI model that builds one screen or data model at a time (bigger builds need your own cloud AI key or Enterprise), and no teams, hosted agents or production deployment from the Studio.
- [Is there a free AI app builder that runs locally on a Mac?](https://pies.io/faq/is-there-a-free-ai-app-builder-that-runs-locally-on-a-mac/): Yes. PIES Studio Hobby is a free desktop app for macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows and Linux that builds full applications from plain English, with a private AI that runs on your own computer. It works offline and needs a free account only to download.
- [What do I need to run PIES Private AI on my computer?](https://pies.io/faq/what-do-i-need-to-run-pies-private-ai-on-my-computer/): PIES Private AI Micro, included free with PIES Studio Hobby, needs 12 GB of memory (16 GB recommended) and 6 GB of free disk. It is fast on Apple Silicon Macs and runs on the CPU only, at a few words a second, on Intel Macs, Windows and Linux.

## Customers
- [AI-Driven Content Generation](https://pies.io/customers/ai-driven-content-generation/): Challenge The client required a secure and highly customisable visitor and event management platform capable of integrating with enterprise systems and supporting large-scale operational environments. PIES Solution Using the PIES low-code platform, we developed and deployed a fully integrated Visitor & Event Management system with enterprise-grade security and automation. Key Capabilities Included Mobile Visitor Check-In Outlook Calendar Integration
- [Enterprise Visitor & Event Management](https://pies.io/customers/enterprise-visitor-event-management/): Client: Tier-1 Telecommunications Provider Challenge The client required a secure and highly customisable visitor and event management platform capable of integrating with enterprise systems and supporting large-scale operational environments. PIES Solution Using the PIES low-code platform, we developed and deployed a fully integrated Visitor & Event Management system with enterprise-grade security and automation. Key capabilities
- [HLR Finder – Mobile Subscriber Validation](https://pies.io/customers/hlr-finder-mobile-subscriber-validation/): Client: Telecommunications Services Provider Platform: PIES No-Code Challenge The client required a system to validate mobile subscriber information and retrieve location data through telecom network databases. PIES Solution We developed HLR Finder, an application that queries the Home Location Register (HLR) to determine the status and location of mobile subscribers. The solution includes: Mobile number
- [Invoice Reconciliation Automation](https://pies.io/customers/invoice-reconciliation-automation/): Client: Global Managed Services Provider (MSP) Challenge Month-end invoice and purchase order reconciliation relied on a manual process using multiple spreadsheets, creating inefficiencies and leading to potential revenue leakage. The task required four full-time employees to complete each month. PIES Solution Using PIES Studio, we automated the reconciliation workflow by consolidating data sources and validating
- [Network Provisioning Digital Transformation](https://pies.io/customers/network-provisioning-digital-transformation/): Client: Telecommunications Provider Challenge Provisioning of mobile network elements relied on a legacy platform requiring manual processes and offering limited auditing capabilities. PIES Solution Using PIES Studio, we replaced the legacy system with a fully automated end-to-end provisioning platform with real-time operational visibility. Key features included: Automated network provisioning workflows Real-time logging and audit capabilities
- [Osprey – Emergency Mobile Locator](https://pies.io/customers/osprey-emergency-mobile-locator/): Client: Telecommunications Infrastructure Provider Platform: PIES No-Code Challenge The client required a system to generate traceable mobile calls that could be monitored through telecom billing systems to ensure billing accuracy and integrity. PIES Solution We developed Osprey (Emergency Mobile Locator – EML), a secure platform that generates mobile calls and validates them through billing systems.

## Docs
- [Documentation](https://docs.pies.io): manual, install guide, licensing
- [FAQ](https://pies.io/faq/): enterprise AI, private LLMs, agents, MCP and PIES Studio

## Optional
- [Full text for AI assistants](https://pies.io/llms-full.txt): every fact, FAQ answer and customer story in one file
- [PIES VS Bubble: Freedom to Build (and Keep) What’s Yours](https://pies.io/blog/pies-vs-bubble-freedom-to-build-and-keep-whats-yours/): In today’s world of rapid app development, speed isn’t the only thing that matters — ownership and flexibility do. Platforms like Bubble have helped popularise no-code development, empowering non-technical founders to bring ideas to life faster than ever. But as the no-code landscape matures, many businesses are realising the hidden trade-offs: vendor lock-in, restricted hosting,
- [The Genius Trap: How Public LLMs Are Quietly Draining Enterprise IP](https://pies.io/blog/the-genius-trap-how-public-llms-are-quietly-draining-enterprise-ip/): The pitch is seductive. Access a “country of geniuses” — brilliant, tireless, always available — all housed neatly in someone else’s data centre. What’s not to love? Plenty, as it turns out. Because when you invite that country of geniuses into your organisation, you may be quietly handing them the crown jewels on the way
- [The Real Economics of AI: 80% Productivity Gains Explained](https://pies.io/blog/the-real-economics-of-ai-80-productivity-gains-explained/): AI is often marketed as a shortcut — faster coding, quicker answers, smarter assistants. However, in real business environments, meaningful productivity gains don’t come from isolated improvements. They come from fundamentally changing how software is designed, built, and evolved. At PIES Studio, we’ve focused on how AI doesn’t replace human creativity — it amplifies it. We’ve seen productivity improvements of
- [Why AI-Native Platforms Are the Future of Development](https://pies.io/blog/why-ai-native-platforms-are-the-future-of-development/): AI is everywhere right now.But not all AI is created equal. Most platforms didn’t start with AI in mind — they’ve added it later. A chatbot here, a code assistant there, maybe a “generate” button bolted onto an existing workflow. At first glance, that looks like innovation.In practice, it often creates friction. The real shift is
- [About PIES](https://pies.io/about/)
- [Contact](https://pies.io/contact/): sales@pies.io