Ranked comparison

LLM Gateway: Route to Any Model from One Endpoint

An LLM gateway unifies access to OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and other providers behind a single API. Here are the best options ranked for production use.

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Free preview, Starter for the Auto lane, Teams for manual GPT, Claude, and Gemini Pro access. Add-on credits kick in after included plan tokens are used.

Start on cheap auto-routed models first, then move up only when your workload truly needs premium manual control.

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Starter
Auto lane only
Curated cheap model pool with no manual premium-model selection.
Teams
Premium when you need it
Manual GPT, Claude, and Gemini Pro access starts here.
Billing
Plan tokens first
Add-on credits only extend usage after included plan tokens are exhausted.
Evaluation criteria
Unified API formatProvider failoverCost optimizationSelf-hosting optionRate limit management
1
LLMWiseLLMWise

Goes beyond routing into orchestration. You can compare model outputs, blend responses, or run evaluation workflows - all from one endpoint. The mesh layer detects provider degradation and reroutes traffic automatically, so your app stays online even when a provider is having a bad day.

Automatic model selection based on query classificationFailover with configurable thresholds - traffic reroutes within millisecondsBuilt-in cost settlement - pay actual token cost, not fixed reserves
2
LiteLLMLiteLLM

The standard for self-hosted LLM gateways. If you have the DevOps capacity, LiteLLM gives you total control with zero per-request fees. The tradeoff is you own the uptime, scaling, and monitoring.

Open-source with zero markup on provider costsOpenAI-compatible API format across all providersAdmin dashboard for key management and usage tracking
3
PortkeyPortkey

The strongest option for regulated industries that need guardrails, audit trails, and compliance features. Enterprise pricing starts at $49/month but includes governance tooling that other gateways lack.

Semantic caching and guardrails built inSOC 2 compliant with detailed audit loggingRecently open-sourced core gateway (Apache 2.0)
4
OpenRouterOpenRouter

The easiest on-ramp to multi-model access. No infrastructure to set up - just swap your API key and start calling any of 300+ models. The 5% markup is the price of simplicity.

300+ models accessible immediately with one keyCommunity-driven pricing transparencyOAuth support for end-user authentication
5
HeliconeHelicone

Observability-first gateway. Best for teams that need deep analytics on every LLM call but do not require advanced routing or orchestration features.

Request-level cost and latency trackingRust-based proxy adds minimal overheadFree self-hosted tier for open-source users
Evidence snapshot

LLM Gateway: Route to Any Model from One Endpoint scoring method

Ranking evidence from practical criteria teams use for real production traffic.

Criteria
5
evaluation dimensions used
Models ranked
5
candidates evaluated
Top pick
LLMWise
current #1 recommendation
FAQ coverage
4
selection objections addressed
Our recommendation

For managed, production-ready multi-model routing, LLMWise gives you the most capability per dollar. For self-hosted deployments, LiteLLM is the open-source standard. If you need enterprise governance, Portkey fills that niche well.

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Common questions

What is an LLM gateway?
An LLM gateway is a unified API layer that sits between your application and multiple LLM providers. Instead of integrating OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google separately, you call one endpoint and the gateway handles routing, authentication, failover, and cost tracking across all providers.
Is an LLM gateway the same as an LLM proxy?
An LLM proxy is a subset of a gateway - it forwards requests to the right provider. A full gateway adds routing logic, failover chains, cost optimization, and observability. LLMWise is a gateway with orchestration modes (compare, blend, judge) that go beyond simple proxying.
Should I self-host my LLM gateway?
Self-hosting gives you maximum control and zero per-request fees, but you own uptime, scaling, and monitoring. LiteLLM is the best self-hosted option. If you would rather focus on your product than gateway infrastructure, a managed service like LLMWise or Portkey is the faster path.
How does an LLM gateway handle rate limits?
A gateway pools rate limits across multiple providers. When you hit OpenAI's rate limit, the gateway automatically routes to Anthropic or Google. LLMWise manages per-provider concurrency limits (OpenRouter: 120, OpenAI: 40, Anthropic: 30) and distributes load to maximize throughput.

Start on Auto, move up only when you need it

Free preview, Starter for the Auto lane, Teams for manual GPT, Claude, and Gemini Pro access. Add-on credits kick in after included plan tokens are used.

Start on cheap auto-routed models first, then move up only when your workload truly needs premium manual control.

Starter Auto laneTeams premium manual accessPlan tokens + add-ons
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Related pages
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