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APIs · head to head

LiteLLM vs Unit

LiteLLM logo

LiteLLM

APIs

The AI Gateway for platform teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Unit logo

Unit

APIs

Banking as a service platform for embedding deposit accounts, cards and payments, with a sponsor bank behind it

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; Unit your product depends on a sponsor bank you do not contract with directly, and 2024 showed what that means: Thread Bank received an FDIC enforcement action naming its banking as a service programmes and Blue Ridge Bank went under an OCC consent order and offboarded fintech partners.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LiteLLM and Unit actually diverge.

Attributes where LiteLLM and Unit differ
AttributeLiteLLMUnit
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android

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 LiteLLM

Nothing recorded that Unit does not also cover.

Only in Unit

  • Deposit accounts
  • Card issuing
  • Payments
  • White label components
  • Compliance operations
  • Lending
  • Programme reporting
  • Sandbox

What people use each for

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

LiteLLM

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

Unit

  • A vertical SaaS platform for contractors that wants to hold customer funds and issue expense cards without pursuing a charternot LiteLLM
  • A payroll or benefits platform embedding accounts so employees can be paid ahead of schedulenot LiteLLM
  • A marketplace that wants seller balances to sit in real accounts under its own brand rather than as ledger entries at a processornot LiteLLM
  • A company that needs interchange revenue from a card programme to make the unit economics of its core product worknot 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

Unit

  • Your product depends on a sponsor bank you do not contract with directly, and 2024 showed what that means: Thread Bank received an FDIC enforcement action naming its banking as a service programmes and Blue Ridge Bank went under an OCC consent order and offboarded fintech partners.
  • Programme approval by the bank is a separate gate from signing with Unit, and it can add months and impose product restrictions that were not visible during the commercial conversation.
  • Compliance obligations are shared but the operational load lands on you, and platforms consistently underestimate the staffing needed for disputes, escalations and the bank ongoing oversight requests.
  • Pricing is unpublished and blends platform fees, per-account and per-transaction charges and interchange sharing, which makes it hard to model unit economics before you have volume and easy to be surprised by the minimum.
  • Migrating a live deposit programme to a different provider or bank is extremely disruptive because it involves moving customer accounts and card credentials, so switching costs are far higher than for ordinary software.

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

Unit

On request
  • Unit Banking as a Service$undefined/year
    • Platform fee plus per-account and per-transaction charges, quoted
    • Interchange sharing arrangements negotiated per programme
    • Minimum commitment typical

Which should you pick?

Choose LiteLLM if

  • You want to start without paying.
LiteLLM review

Choose Unit if

  • You need deposit accounts.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want card issuing.
Unit review

Questions people ask

Is LiteLLM or Unit better?
Neither clearly leads. LiteLLM starts at Free and Unit at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LiteLLM or Unit?
LiteLLM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for LiteLLM and On request for Unit.
Does LiteLLM or Unit run on more platforms?
LiteLLM runs on Web. Unit runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use LiteLLM for free?
Yes. LiteLLM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Unit 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 Unit is typically brought in for.
What can LiteLLM do that Unit cannot?
Unit covers Deposit accounts, Card issuing, Payments, White label components.

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
Unit: Who actually holds the money?

A chartered partner bank, not Unit. Deposits sit at the sponsor bank and FDIC insurance flows from that bank, so its condition is your condition.

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
Unit: What happened with Unit sponsor banks in 2024?

Thread Bank received an FDIC enforcement action that explicitly named its banking as a service and lending as a service programmes, and Blue Ridge Bank was under an OCC consent order from January 2024 and offboarded fintech partners. Blue Ridge exited the order in late 2025.

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
Unit: What does Unit cost?

Not published. Expect a platform fee, per-account and per-transaction charges, an interchange share and a minimum commitment.

Unit: Do we need our own compliance team?

Yes. Unit supplies tooling and the bank sets the rules, but disputes, escalations and evidence for bank oversight require named people on your side.

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