---
title: "Helicone vs LiteLLM: Which is Better in 2026? | App Stack Builder"
description: "Helicone vs LiteLLM compared for 2026 — pricing, free tiers, features, pros & cons. See which ai gateways & llm proxies tool is the better fit for your startup."
source: https://appstackbuilder.com/compare/helicone-vs-litellm
retrieved: 2026-10-14
---

![](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=helicone.ai&sz=128)

vs

![](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=litellm.ai&sz=128)

# Helicone vs LiteLLM: Which is Better in 2026?

AI Gateways & LLM Proxies

Choosing between [Helicone](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/helicone) and [LiteLLM](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/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 Helicone and LiteLLM are strong ai gateways & llm proxies choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences.

## Helicone vs LiteLLM — Side by Side

|                | Helicone                                                   | LiteLLM                                            |
| -------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Category       | AI Gateways & LLM Proxies                                  | AI Gateways & LLM Proxies                          |
| Pricing        | Free · paid from $79/mo                                    | Free · paid plans by quote                         |
| Starting price | Free tier available                                        | Free tier available                                |
| Free tier      | ✓                                                          | ✓                                                  |
| Rating         | 4.5                                                        | 4.6                                                |
| Best for       | AI Gateways & LLM Proxies — llm-observability, open-source | AI Gateways & LLM Proxies — llm-proxy, open-source |

## Pros & Cons

![](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=helicone.ai&sz=128)

[Helicone](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/helicone)

* ✓Open source and self-hostable
* ✓Cost and latency logging on every request
* ✓Generous free tier
* ✗Pro jumps to $799 for compliance features
* ✗Usage charges on top of the plan fee
* ✗Short retention on the free plan

![](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=litellm.ai&sz=128)

[LiteLLM](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/litellm)

* ✓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

### Helicone

* ✓Unlimited seats
* ✓Alerts and reports
* ✓HQL queries
* ✓1-month retention

### LiteLLM

* ✓Proxy server and SDK
* ✓Virtual keys, budgets, rate limits
* ✓Fallbacks and load balancing

### Choose Helicone if…

* ✓You want a free tier to validate before paying.
* ✓Open source and self-hostable
* ✓Cost and latency logging on every request
* ✓Generous free tier

[Helicone review & pricing ](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/helicone)

### 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

[LiteLLM review & pricing ](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/litellm)

## Frequently Asked Questions

Is Helicone better than LiteLLM?⌄

Both Helicone 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 Helicone and LiteLLM?⌄

Helicone — Open-source AI gateway and LLM observability: route requests across providers with caching and fallbacks, and log every call. 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.

Helicone vs LiteLLM: which is cheaper?⌄

Helicone pricing: Free · paid from $79/mo. LiteLLM pricing: Free · paid plans by quote. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.

Which is rated higher, Helicone or LiteLLM?⌄

In our catalog, Helicone rates 4.5 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](https://appstackbuilder.com/categories/ai-gateway).

[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.](https://appstackbuilder.com/blog/openrouter-vs-litellm-2026)

## Still not sure which to pick?

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[Build my stack free ](https://appstackbuilder.com/build-stack)