OpenRouter vs Groq 2026: Which API Is Actually Cheaper?
Quick verdict: OpenRouter is our overall pick for OpenRouter vs Groq.
- Best overall: OpenRouter (4.3/5)
- Best free: Groq
- Best for teams: OpenRouter
- Pricing last checked: 2026-09-07
OpenRouter (4.3/5) and Groq (4.2/5) both serve AI API inference, but with very different model rosters and pricing. OpenRouter starts at $0.07/1M tokens with a free tier, while Groq starts at $0.05/1M tokens with a free tier. Here is how they actually compare on speed, model selection, and true cost.
| Tool | Rating | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenRouter Best overall Best for teams | 4.3/5 | Free $0.07/1M tokens | OpenRouter is the largest AI model gateway — 374+ models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, D… |
| Groq 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… |
Bottom line: OpenRouter wins on model selection — 374+ models including GPT, Claude and all major open models, plus free tiers and BYOK. Groq wins on raw speed (500+ tokens/second on LPU) and has a simpler, more generous free tier for prototyping open models. Pick OpenRouter if you want one API key for everything; pick Groq if open-source speed is your whole product.
Pricing and details
OpenRouter · 4.3/5
Free plan available · $0.07/1M tokens
Pay-per-token, no monthly fees; 374+ models; free models: 20 req/min, 50 req/day (under $10 lifetime credits) or 1000/day ($10+); BYOK 1M free routing requests/mo; cheapest free models (DeepSeek R1, Llama 3.3 70B, Gemma 3, Gemini Flash) all rate-limited; paid models start at ~$0.07/1M input for small open models
OpenRouter is the largest AI model gateway — 374+ models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, DeepSeek and more, with free tiers, BYOK support, and unified OpenAI-compatible API.
Score breakdown
Pros
- Best dimension: Core features at 5/5 — backed by verification against the official site & pricing.
- Second strong point: Value for money at 5/5.
- Pricing: Pay-per-token, no monthly fees
- Positioning: OpenRouter is the largest AI model gateway — 374+ models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, DeepSeek and more, with free tiers, BYOK support, and unified OpenAI-compatible API.
Cons
- Weakest dimension: Localization at 3/5.
- Weigh localization before committing.
Pricing verified 2026-09-07
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
Frequently asked questions
Which is better overall, OpenRouter or Groq?
OpenRouter is our overall pick (4.3/5 vs 4.2/5). OpenRouter (4.3/5) and Groq (4.2/5) both serve AI API inference, but with very different model rosters and pricing. OpenRouter starts at $0.07/1M tokens with a free tier, while Groq starts at $0.05/1M tokens with a free tier. Here is how they actually compare on speed, model selection, and true cost.
Do OpenRouter and Groq offer free plans?
OpenRouter and Groq have a free tier. OpenRouter paid plans start at $0.07/1M tokens; Groq paid plans start at $0.05/1M tokens.
What does OpenRouter cost?
$0.07/1M tokens — Pay-per-token, no monthly fees; 374+ models; free models: 20 req/min, 50 req/day (under $10 lifetime credits) or 1000/day ($10+); BYOK 1M free routing requests/mo; cheapest free models (DeepSeek R1, Llama 3.3 70B, Gemma 3, Gemini Flash) all rate-limited; paid models start at ~$0.07/1M input for small open models. Prices were last verified on 2026-09-07.