Cloudflare AI Gateway vs LiteLLM: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Cloudflare AI Gateway and LiteLLM? Both are popular ai gateways & llm proxies tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.
Quick verdict
Both Cloudflare AI Gateway and LiteLLM are strong ai gateways & llm proxies choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences.
Cloudflare AI Gateway vs LiteLLM — Side by Side
| Cloudflare AI Gateway | LiteLLM | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI Gateways & LLM Proxies | AI Gateways & LLM Proxies |
| Pricing | Free · paid from $5/mo | Free · paid plans by quote |
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Free tier | ||
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.6 |
| Best for | AI Gateways & LLM Proxies — caching, rate-limiting | AI Gateways & LLM Proxies — llm-proxy, open-source |
Pros & Cons
- Core features are free
- Runs on Cloudflare's global edge
- Nothing to host
- No per-team virtual keys or budgets like LiteLLM
- Log pricing changed for gateways made after Sep 24 2026
- Guardrails billed as extra inference
- Free and open source (MIT)
- No third party in your request path
- Per-team keys and budgets
- You run, secure and upgrade it
- Needs Postgres for keys and spend tracking
- SSO and audit logs are Enterprise-only
Key Features Compared
Cloudflare AI Gateway
- Analytics, caching and rate limiting
- Works with your own provider keys
- DLP scanning
LiteLLM
- Proxy server and SDK
- Virtual keys, budgets, rate limits
- Fallbacks and load balancing
Choose Cloudflare AI Gateway if…
- You want a free tier to validate before paying.
- Core features are free
- Runs on Cloudflare's global edge
- Nothing to host
Choose LiteLLM if…
- You want a free tier to validate before paying.
- Free and open source (MIT)
- No third party in your request path
- Per-team keys and budgets
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cloudflare AI Gateway better than LiteLLM?⌄
Both Cloudflare AI Gateway and LiteLLM are strong ai gateways & llm proxies choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences.
What is the difference between Cloudflare AI Gateway and LiteLLM?⌄
Cloudflare AI Gateway — Free AI gateway on Cloudflare's network: analytics, caching, rate limiting and fallbacks in front of any model provider. LiteLLM — Open-source LLM proxy and Python SDK: one OpenAI-style API for 100+ providers, with virtual keys, budgets and fallbacks you host yourself. Both are ai gateways & llm proxies tools; the comparison table above breaks down pricing, free tiers, and what each is best for.
Cloudflare AI Gateway vs LiteLLM: which is cheaper?⌄
Cloudflare AI Gateway pricing: Free · paid from $5/mo. LiteLLM pricing: Free · paid plans by quote. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, Cloudflare AI Gateway or LiteLLM?⌄
In our catalog, Cloudflare AI Gateway rates 4.4 out of 5 and LiteLLM rates 4.6 out of 5, so LiteLLM has a slight edge on reviews.
See more options in our guide to the best ai gateways & llm proxies tools for startups.
In-depth guideOpenRouter vs LiteLLM (2026): Hosted AI Gateway vs Open-Source LLM ProxyOpenRouter is a hosted service: one key, 500+ models, a 5.5% fee on credits. LiteLLM is MIT-licensed software you run yourself, with virtual keys and budgets per team. How each works, what the gateway costs at three spend levels, and why this site runs on OpenRouter.Still not sure which to pick?
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