Groq vs Together AI 2026: Which API Is Actually Cheaper?
Quick verdict: Groq is our overall pick for Groq vs Together AI.
- Best overall: Groq (4.2/5)
- Best free: Groq
- Best for teams: Together AI
- Pricing last checked: 2026-09-07
Groq (4.2/5) and Together AI (3.9/5) both serve AI API inference, but with very different model rosters and pricing. Groq starts at $0.05/1M tokens with a free tier, while Together AI starts at $0.05/1M tokens with a no free tier. Here is how they actually compare on speed, model selection, and true cost.
| Tool | Rating | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groq Best overall Best free | 4.2/5 | Free $0.05/1M tokens | Groq runs open-source LLMs on custom LPU chips that deliver 500+ tokens per second — the f… |
| Together AI Best for teams | 3.9/5 | $0.05/1M tokens | Together AI is an open-model inference platform with 100+ open-source models, fine-tuning … |
Bottom line: 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. Together AI has more models (100+), fine-tuning support, and dedicated GPU options. Pick Groq when speed matters most for open models; pick Together AI when you need fine-tuning or dedicated capacity for production.
Pricing and details
Groq · 4.2/5
Free plan available · $0.05/1M tokens
Pay-per-token, no monthly fees; free tier: 30 req/min, 6000 tokens/min, 14400 req/day, all models, no credit card; paid = Developer pay-as-you-go (rate limit increases with usage); cheapest: Llama 3.1 8B $0.05/$0.08 per 1M; flagship Llama 3.3 70B $0.59/$0.79 per 1M; Batch API + prompt caching each 50% off (~25% stacked)
Groq runs open-source LLMs on custom LPU chips that deliver 500+ tokens per second — the fastest inference API available, with a generous free tier and no credit card required.
Score breakdown
Pros
- Best dimension: Value for money at 5/5 — backed by verification against the official site & pricing.
- Second strong point: Core features at 4/5.
- Pricing: Pay-per-token, no monthly fees
- Positioning: Groq runs open-source LLMs on custom LPU chips that deliver 500+ tokens per second — the fastest inference API available, with a generous free tier and no credit card required.
Cons
- Weakest dimension: Collaboration at 2/5.
- Weigh collaboration before committing.
Pricing verified 2026-09-07
Together AI · 3.9/5
$5 free signup credit · $0.05/1M tokens
Pay-per-token, no monthly minimums; $5 free signup credit (no credit card required for trial); cheapest: GPT-OSS 20B $0.05/$0.20 per 1M; Llama 3.3 70B $0.88 flat per 1M; DeepSeek V3.1 $0.60/$1.70; DeepSeek V4 Pro $2.10/$4.40; fine-tuning LoRA extra; Batch API 50% off; dedicated GPU hours separate
Together AI is an open-model inference platform with 100+ open-source models, fine-tuning support, and dedicated GPU capacity — built for production AI teams.
Score breakdown
Pros
- Best dimension: Core features at 4/5 — backed by verification against the official site & pricing.
- Second strong point: Stability at 4/5.
- Pricing: Pay-per-token, no monthly minimums
- Positioning: Together AI is an open-model inference platform with 100+ open-source models, fine-tuning support, and dedicated GPU capacity — built for production AI teams.
Cons
- Weakest dimension: Localization at 2/5.
- Weigh localization before committing.
Pricing verified 2026-09-07
Frequently asked questions
Which is better overall, Groq or Together AI?
Groq is our overall pick (4.2/5 vs 3.9/5). Groq (4.2/5) and Together AI (3.9/5) both serve AI API inference, but with very different model rosters and pricing. Groq starts at $0.05/1M tokens with a free tier, while Together AI starts at $0.05/1M tokens with a no free tier. Here is how they actually compare on speed, model selection, and true cost.
Do Groq and Together AI offer free plans?
Groq has a free tier. Groq paid plans start at $0.05/1M tokens; Together AI paid plans start at $0.05/1M tokens.
What does Groq cost?
$0.05/1M tokens — Pay-per-token, no monthly fees; free tier: 30 req/min, 6000 tokens/min, 14400 req/day, all models, no credit card; paid = Developer pay-as-you-go (rate limit increases with usage); cheapest: Llama 3.1 8B $0.05/$0.08 per 1M; flagship Llama 3.3 70B $0.59/$0.79 per 1M; Batch API + prompt caching each 50% off (~25% stacked). Prices were last verified on 2026-09-07.