AI API Gateway Comparisons 2026
AI API gateways look interchangeable — one API key, call any model — but the real differences are in which models you can actually access, how generous the free tier really is, and how much throughput you get before the rate limits kick in. This page collects every head-to-head we have run across OpenRouter, Groq, Together AI and DashScope so you can jump straight to the matchup you care about. Prices come from each vendor's live pricing page and were re-checked on the date shown, because model rosters and free tier limits change often enough that we verify rather than guess.
- OpenRouter vs Groq 2026: Which API Is Actually Cheaper? winner: OpenRouter OpenRouter 4.3Groq 4.2 OpenRouter wins on model selection — 374+ models including GPT, Claude and all major open models, plus free tiers and BYOK.
- OpenRouter vs Together AI 2026: Which API Is Actually Cheaper? winner: OpenRouter OpenRouter 4.3Together AI 3.9 OpenRouter is the gateway pick — hundreds of models including proprietary ones, free tiers, BYOK, and a single unified API.
- OpenRouter vs DashScope 2026: Which API Is Actually Cheaper? winner: OpenRouter OpenRouter 4.3DashScope 3.8 OpenRouter has the broadest model selection in the world (374+ including GPT, Claude, DeepSeek) and unified USD billing.
- Groq vs Together AI 2026: Which API Is Actually Cheaper? winner: Groq Groq 4.2Together AI 3.9 Groq is the fastest inference API (500+ tok/s on LPU) with a generous free tier and pay-as-you-go pricing from $0.05/1M.
- Groq vs DashScope 2026: Which API Is Actually Cheaper? winner: Groq Groq 4.2DashScope 3.8 Groq is the fastest open-model inference API with a generous no-credit-card free tier and global USD billing.
- Together AI vs DashScope 2026: Which API Is Actually Cheaper? winner: Together AI Together AI 3.9DashScope 3.8 Together AI is the open-model production platform — 100+ models, fine-tuning, dedicated GPUs, and batch discounts.
- Best AI API Gateways Compared 2026: OpenRouter vs Groq vs Together AI vs DashScope vs Fireworks AI OpenRouter, Groq, Together AI, DashScope, Fireworks AI · winner: OpenRouter OpenRouter 4.3Groq 4.2Together AI 3.9DashScope 3.8Fireworks AI 4.0 OpenRouter when you want one API key for every model (GPT, Claude, DeepSeek, Llama, 374+ total) with free tiers and BYOK; Fireworks AI for teams that need post-training under one API — the only provider where SFT/LoRA/RL fine-tuning and …
- Fireworks AI vs OpenRouter 2026: Self-Serve Post-Training vs Broadest Model Catalog winner: OpenRouter Fireworks AI 4.0OpenRouter 4.3 OpenRouter when breadth of model choice matters most — GPT, Claude, DeepSeek, Llama and 374+ total behind one API key with free tiers and BYOK.
- Fireworks AI vs Groq 2026: Post-Training Stack vs LPU Speed winner: Groq Fireworks AI 4.0Groq 4.2 Groq when raw speed on open-source models is the bottleneck — 500+ tok/s on LPU, a free tier with no credit card, and batch + prompt-caching discounts stacked ~25%.
- Fireworks AI vs Together AI 2026: Self-Serve RL vs Dedicated GPU Endpoints winner: Together AI Fireworks AI 4.0Together AI 3.9 Together AI for high-volume, predictable LLM inference — per-token pricing from $0.10/1M, dedicated GPU endpoints from $0.80/GPU/hr, and native fine-tuning from $3/M tokens with a $5 new-account credit.
- Fireworks AI vs DashScope 2026: Open-Model Post-Training vs Native Chinese Support winner: DashScope Fireworks AI 4.0DashScope 3.8 DashScope when your models are Qwen, your users are in mainland China, and data residency matters — native Chinese support and competitive per-token pricing on the Qwen family.
AI API Gateways tools ranked by score
Entry prices are each vendor’s published starting price and the free-plan flag is what the vendor advertises; the last column is the date we last checked that figure against the official page. A dash means the vendor publishes no standalone figure for that column (for example a free-only tool has no entry price).
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | Paid from | Trial | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OpenRouter | 4.3/5 | Yes | $0.07/1M tokens | — | 2026-09-07 |
| 2 | Groq | 4.2/5 | Yes | $0.05/1M tokens | — | 2026-09-07 |
| 3 | Fireworks AI | 4.0/5 | No | $0.10/1M tokens | Yes | 2026-09-11 |
| 4 | Together AI | 3.9/5 | No | $0.05/1M tokens | Yes | 2026-09-07 |
| 5 | DashScope | 3.8/5 | Yes | ¥0.20/1M tokens (~$0.03) | Yes | 2026-09-07 |
Still deciding? Read our Best AI API Gateways 2026 roundup, or start from the full AI API Gateways category page.
Frequently asked questions
How many AI API Gateways comparisons are in this hub?
This hub collects 11 comparisons covering 5 tools, including 10 head-to-head pairs. Pricing was last re-verified 2026-09-07.
Which AI API Gateways tool is rated highest?
OpenRouter is the highest-rated tool in this hub at 4.3/5, against an average rating of 4.0 across the 5 tools compared.
Are there free AI API Gateways tools?
3 of the 5 tools in this hub list a free plan; paid plans start at $0.03. Check each vendor's page for current tier limits.
How should I use these comparisons to choose a AI API Gateways tool?
Start with the head-to-head pair for the two tools you are already considering, compare published pricing and the six-dimension scores, then read the linked full review of whichever tool makes the shortlist. Every price line links back to the vendor's pricing page and carries a verification date.