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APIs · head to head

LiteLLM vs Portkey

LiteLLM logo

LiteLLM

APIs

The AI Gateway for platform teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Portkey logo

Portkey

APIs

Observe, govern, and secure every AI interaction across your enterprise

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LiteLLM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: LiteLLM enterprise pricing based on annual request capacity and deployment architecture, sized via direct sales; Portkey the free Developer tier records only 10,000 logs per month with 3 day log retention; the $49 per month Production tier raises that to 100,000 logs with $9 per additional 100,000 requests, as of August 2026.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LiteLLM and Portkey actually diverge.

Attributes where LiteLLM and Portkey differ
AttributeLiteLLMPortkey
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourceUnknown
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

What people use each for

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

LiteLLM

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

Portkey

  • Accessing 1,600+ language models through unified API gatewaynot LiteLLM
  • Monitoring and observing LLM behavior in production environmentsnot LiteLLM
  • Managing costs and setting budget limits for AI spendingnot LiteLLM
  • Implementing guardrails and PII redaction for secure AI interactionsnot LiteLLM

Where each one falls short

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

LiteLLM

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

Portkey

  • The free Developer tier records only 10,000 logs per month with 3 day log retention; the $49 per month Production tier raises that to 100,000 logs with $9 per additional 100,000 requests, as of August 2026.

Pricing, plan by plan

LiteLLM

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

Portkey

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Portkey review.

Which should you pick?

Choose LiteLLM if

  • You want to start without paying.
LiteLLM review

Choose Portkey if

Nothing in the data separates Portkey from LiteLLM on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Portkey review

Questions people ask

Is LiteLLM or Portkey better?
Neither clearly leads. LiteLLM starts at Free and Portkey at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LiteLLM or Portkey?
LiteLLM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for LiteLLM and On request for Portkey.
Does LiteLLM or Portkey run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use LiteLLM for free?
Yes. LiteLLM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Portkey starts at On request.
What is LiteLLM best used for?
LiteLLM is most often used for accessing 140+ llm providers through single api, implementing cost-based routing for advanced ai tasks, deploying new llm models usually within a day, switching backend models with config changes only. Of those, accessing 140+ llm providers through single api and implementing cost-based routing for advanced ai tasks are not what Portkey is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Portkey: What happens if I exceed my Portkey plan's request limit?

Production tier ($49/month) charges $9 per additional 100,000 requests beyond the included 100,000. Enterprise customers have custom limits determined through their service agreement. Source: https://portkey.ai/pricing

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
Portkey: Can I self-host Portkey to avoid per-request billing?

Yes. Portkey offers an Open Source self-hosted version with unlimited requests at no cost, including universal API, routing, guardrails, and load balancing features. Source: https://portkey.ai/pricing

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
Portkey: How long does Portkey retain my logs and metrics?

Free Developer tier retains logs 3 days and metrics 30 days. Production tier retains logs 30 days and metrics 90 days. Enterprise tier offers custom retention periods. Source: https://portkey.ai/pricing

Source
Portkey: What compliance features are included in the Enterprise plan?

Enterprise tier includes SOC2 Type 2 certification, GDPR compliance, HIPAA compliance, VPC hosting, SSO, advanced guardrails, and dedicated support. Custom pricing required. Source: https://portkey.ai/pricing

Source
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