OpenRouter vs LiteLLM: Which LLM Gateway Fits Your Stack?

Compares OpenRouter, a managed service running on Cloudflare’s edge, against LiteLLM, open-source software you self-host with Docker and PostgreSQL. OpenRouter charges a 5.5% platform fee while LiteLLM is free but needs roughly $200-500/month of infrastructure, with the crossover point around $3,600-9,100 in monthly model spend. OpenRouter holds SOC 2 Type 2 certification and uses an Auto Router powered by NotDiamond; LiteLLM offers six routing modes and can use OpenRouter as an upstream provider.