<!-- Canonical: https://www.agentlist.io/compare/openrouter-vs-litellm -->

# [OpenRouterOpenRouter · model-router](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/openrouter)vs[LiteLLMCommunity / OSS · model-router](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/litellm)

Two ways to put one API in front of many models. OpenRouter is a hosted router with 500+ models; LiteLLM is self-hosted OSS you operate yourself.

agentlist.io · spec diff · verified 2026-09-25 — list prices only, not benchmarks

SEC.01

## Spec diff

OpenRouterLiteLLM

vendorOpenRouterCommunity / OSS

categorymodel-routermodel-router

interfacesapiapi

hostingcloudlocal · cloud

pricingPAYG at provider list price; 5.5% fee on credit purchases; 25+ free modelsFree OSS self-host; Enterprise quote-based

statusactively maintainedactively maintained

SEC.02

## Pick which

pick OpenRouter if

You want zero-ops routing, per-model pricing, and a large free model pool.

pick LiteLLM if

You want to self-host the proxy, keep keys in your infra, and customize the gateway.

watch out

OpenRouter charges a ~5.5% credit fee; LiteLLM enterprise features are quote-based.

SEC.03

## Feature notes

-   OpenRouter
-   01500+ models / 80+ providers
-   0225+ free models
-   03Spend controls
-   04BYOK passthrough
-   05Pay-as-you-go

-   LiteLLM
-   01OpenAI-compatible proxy
-   02Self-host
-   03Budgets and routing
-   04Open source

FAQ

## Frequently asked

### OpenRouter or LiteLLM — which should I pick?

Two ways to put one API in front of many models. OpenRouter is a hosted router with 500+ models; LiteLLM is self-hosted OSS you operate yourself. Pick OpenRouter if: You want zero-ops routing, per-model pricing, and a large free model pool. Pick LiteLLM if: You want to self-host the proxy, keep keys in your infra, and customize the gateway.

### Is OpenRouter or LiteLLM cheaper?

OpenRouter: PAYG at provider list price; 5.5% fee on credit purchases; 25+ free models. LiteLLM: Free OSS self-host; Enterprise quote-based. List prices as of 2026-09-25; usage pools and seat terms change the real cost.

### Does OpenRouter or LiteLLM run locally?

OpenRouter hosting: cloud. LiteLLM hosting: local, cloud. Interfaces differ too: OpenRouter exposes api, LiteLLM exposes api.

### Are OpenRouter and LiteLLM still maintained?

OpenRouter: actively maintained. LiteLLM: actively maintained. Statuses are re-verified each catalog refresh (2026-09-25); see the changelog for the full history.

ALT

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A

## OpenRouter

OpenRouter is a single API to many LLM providers with routing, fallbacks, and usage billing — widely wired into Aider, Continue, Goose, and OpenHands.

[full spec sheet →](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/openrouter)

-   [↗ openrouter.ai/pricing](https://openrouter.ai/pricing)
-   [↗ openrouter.ai/docs/faq](https://openrouter.ai/docs/faq)

B

## LiteLLM

LiteLLM is a self-hostable proxy that normalizes hundreds of LLM APIs behind an OpenAI-compatible endpoint.

[full spec sheet →](https://www.agentlist.io/systems/litellm)

-   [↗ litellm.ai/pricing](https://www.litellm.ai/pricing)
-   [↗ docs.litellm.ai/docs/enterprise](https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/enterprise)
-   [↗ github.com/BerriAI/litellm](https://github.com/BerriAI/litellm)

SRC

## Data

Fields come from the seed catalog, re-verified 2026-09-25. This page compares recorded specs — it does not rank performance. See the [changelog](https://www.agentlist.io/changelog) or the [JSON feed](https://www.agentlist.io/api/v1/systems).

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Source: [OpenRouter vs LiteLLM: spec comparison | agentlist.io](https://www.agentlist.io/compare/openrouter-vs-litellm). This is the public page rendered as Markdown; interactive controls require the website.