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APIs · head to head

Apollo GraphQL vs LiteLLM

Apollo GraphQL logo

Apollo GraphQL

APIs

GraphQL platform and API orchestration layer for building unified graphs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LiteLLM logo

LiteLLM

APIs

The AI Gateway for platform teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apollo GraphQL pricing beyond the Developer tier requires contacting sales, making cost comparison harder for mid-size teams.; LiteLLM enterprise pricing based on annual request capacity and deployment architecture, sized via direct sales
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apollo GraphQL and LiteLLM actually diverge.

Attributes where Apollo GraphQL and LiteLLM differ
AttributeApollo GraphQLLiteLLM
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
Platformsweb, apiWeb

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apollo GraphQL

  • Apollo Connectors
  • GraphOS Router
  • Schema registry
  • Schema checks
  • Response caching
  • Audit logging

Only in LiteLLM

Nothing recorded that Apollo GraphQL does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apollo GraphQL

  • Federating multiple backend services into one GraphQL APInot LiteLLM
  • Wrapping legacy REST APIs for frontend consumptionnot LiteLLM
  • Enterprise API governance with schema checks and audit logsnot LiteLLM
  • Reducing frontend over-fetching and under-fetching of datanot LiteLLM

LiteLLM

  • Accessing 140+ LLM providers through single APInot Apollo GraphQL
  • Implementing cost-based routing for advanced AI tasksnot Apollo GraphQL
  • Deploying new LLM models usually within a daynot Apollo GraphQL
  • Switching backend models with config changes onlynot Apollo GraphQL
  • Maintaining consistent access across 100+ endpointsnot Apollo GraphQL

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apollo GraphQL

  • Pricing beyond the Developer tier requires contacting sales, making cost comparison harder for mid-size teams.
  • Adopting GraphOS effectively requires buy-in to the GraphQL paradigm, which is a larger architectural shift than adding a REST gateway.
  • The free plan's 1-day data retention and 60 req/min self-hosted router limit make it unsuitable for production use.
  • Volume-based per-request pricing can become expensive at very high request volumes compared to flat-rate API gateways.

LiteLLM

  • Enterprise pricing based on annual request capacity and deployment architecture, sized via direct sales
  • Not per-token based pricing for Enterprise tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Apollo GraphQL

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 developers
    • 1-day data retention
    • Community support
  • Developer$5/month
    • $5 per million requests with volume discounts
    • $50 usage credit for new signups
    • Up to 10 developers
  • Standard$undefined/month
    • Up to 30 developers
    • 90-day data retention
    • Standard support with SLA
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited developers
    • 18-month data retention
    • 24x7x365 support with SLA

LiteLLM

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • 100+ providers
    • One OpenAI API
    • Virtual keys
  • Enterprise$null/mo
    • All Open Source features
    • SSO + SCIM
    • OIDC/JWT authentication

Which should you pick?

Choose Apollo GraphQL if

  • You need apollo connectors.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want graphos router.
Apollo GraphQL review

Choose LiteLLM if

  • You want to start without paying.
LiteLLM review

Questions people ask

Is Apollo GraphQL or LiteLLM better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo GraphQL starts at Free and LiteLLM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo GraphQL or LiteLLM?
Apollo GraphQL starts at Free and LiteLLM at Free.
Does Apollo GraphQL or LiteLLM run on more platforms?
Apollo GraphQL runs on web, api. LiteLLM runs on Web.
Can I use Apollo GraphQL for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apollo GraphQL best used for?
Apollo GraphQL is most often used for federating multiple backend services into one graphql api, wrapping legacy rest apis for frontend consumption, enterprise api governance with schema checks and audit logs, reducing frontend over-fetching and under-fetching of data. Of those, federating multiple backend services into one graphql api and wrapping legacy rest apis for frontend consumption are not what LiteLLM is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo GraphQL do that LiteLLM cannot?
Apollo GraphQL covers Apollo Connectors, GraphOS Router, Schema registry, Schema checks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apollo GraphQL: What does Apollo GraphQL cost?

The Free plan supports up to 3 developers at no cost. Developer plan starts at $5 per million requests with a $50 signup credit, while Standard and Enterprise require contacting sales for custom pricing.

Source
LiteLLM: Is LiteLLM free to use?

Yes, LiteLLM's open-source version is free forever and requires no credit card. Self-host in minutes with support for 100+ LLM providers.

Source
Apollo GraphQL: Is there a free plan and what are its limits?

Yes, the Free 'Forever Free' plan supports up to 3 developers, 1-day data retention for checks and insights, and a self-hosted router capped at 60 requests per minute.

Source
LiteLLM: What does LiteLLM's Enterprise plan cost?

Enterprise pricing is custom and annual, sized based on your annual gateway request capacity, deployment architecture, and support needs. Not charged per token.

Source
Apollo GraphQL: How is usage metered on paid plans?

Standard requests are billed per million operations with tiered volume discounts, starting at $5.00/million for the first 250M and dropping to $3.00/million beyond 5B, with similar tiered pricing for subscription update events.

Source
LiteLLM: Is there a free trial for Enterprise?

Yes, a 30-day Enterprise trial key is available via email with no credit card required.

Source
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