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APIs · head to head

Griffin vs LiteLLM

Griffin logo

Griffin

APIs

UK banking-as-a-service from a company that holds its own full banking licence

From
£100/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LiteLLM logo

LiteLLM

APIs

The AI Gateway for platform teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LiteLLM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Griffin platform banking carries a one-off onboarding fee from 15,000 pounds and a 3,500 pound monthly minimum, which prices out early-stage companies entirely.; LiteLLM enterprise pricing based on annual request capacity and deployment architecture, sized via direct sales
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Griffin and LiteLLM actually diverge.

Attributes where Griffin and LiteLLM differ
AttributeGriffinLiteLLM
Starting price£100/monthFree
Pricing modelPer month with usage drawdownopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, REST APIWeb

Identical on both: 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 Griffin

  • Bank accounts by API
  • UK payment rails
  • Integrated ledger
  • Automated onboarding
  • Debit cards
  • Interest on balances

Only in LiteLLM

Nothing recorded that Griffin does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Griffin

  • A wealth platform that must hold client money in a licensed bank rather than an EMI safeguarding accountnot LiteLLM
  • A lender wanting UK accounts and payment rails without becoming a bank itselfnot LiteLLM
  • A fintech burned by sponsor bank instability that wants the deposit holder and the API provider to be the same entitynot LiteLLM
  • A platform needing sub-account ledgering for pooled client funds with a clean audit trailnot LiteLLM

LiteLLM

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

Where each one falls short

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

Griffin

  • Platform banking carries a one-off onboarding fee from 15,000 pounds and a 3,500 pound monthly minimum, which prices out early-stage companies entirely.
  • It is UK-only, so a business with European or US operations needs a second banking provider and a second integration for those entities.
  • It is a young bank with a small balance sheet relative to incumbents, and enterprise counterparties still ask hard questions about concentration risk.
  • Holding a banking licence means Griffin applies bank-grade due diligence to its own clients, so onboarding is slower and more selective than an EMI-based provider.
  • Feature breadth is narrower than long-established providers, particularly in card programme management and in payment types beyond core UK rails.

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

Griffin

£100/month
  • Business Banking$100/month
    • From 100 pounds per month
    • Interest or commission from around 1.75 percent AER variable
    • Operational accounts and UK payment rails
  • Platform Banking$3500/month
    • One-off onboarding fee from 15,000 pounds
    • Minimum monthly spend of 3,500 pounds, drawn down by usage
    • Higher committed tiers at 5,000 and 10,000 pounds with discounts
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Bespoke account structures and volumes
    • Negotiated interest or commission share

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 Griffin if

  • You need bank accounts by api.
  • You work on Web, REST API.
  • You also want uk payment rails.
Griffin review

Choose LiteLLM if

  • You want to start without paying.
LiteLLM review

Questions people ask

Is Griffin or LiteLLM better?
Neither clearly leads. Griffin starts at £100/month and LiteLLM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Griffin or LiteLLM?
LiteLLM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at £100/month for Griffin and Free for LiteLLM.
Does Griffin or LiteLLM run on more platforms?
Griffin runs on Web, REST API. LiteLLM runs on Web.
Can I use LiteLLM for free?
Yes. LiteLLM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Griffin starts at £100/month.
What is Griffin best used for?
Griffin is most often used for a wealth platform that must hold client money in a licensed bank rather than an emi safeguarding account, a lender wanting uk accounts and payment rails without becoming a bank itself, a fintech burned by sponsor bank instability that wants the deposit holder and the api provider to be the same entity, a platform needing sub-account ledgering for pooled client funds with a clean audit trail. Of those, a wealth platform that must hold client money in a licensed bank rather than an emi safeguarding account and a lender wanting uk accounts and payment rails without becoming a bank itself are not what LiteLLM is typically brought in for.
What can Griffin do that LiteLLM cannot?
Griffin covers Bank accounts by API, UK payment rails, Integrated ledger, Automated onboarding.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Griffin: Is Griffin actually a bank?

Yes. It received a UK banking licence with restrictions in March 2023 and a full licence in March 2024 after exiting mobilisation.

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
Griffin: What does it cost?

Business banking from 100 pounds a month; platform banking from a 15,000 pound onboarding fee plus a 3,500 pound monthly minimum drawn down by usage.

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
Griffin: Does it cover Europe?

No. Griffin is a UK bank serving UK accounts and UK payment rails.

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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