# OpenRouter vs TensorZero

**Leader by Vioscale score:** OpenRouter

| Attribute | OpenRouter | TensorZero |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 79.8 (36% (low)) | 46.6 (21% (low)) |
| adoption.dependent_repos | - | 0 |
| adoption.github_stars | - | 11,719 |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true}` | `{"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | OpenRouter aggregates 500+ language models from 80+ providers through a single, OpenAI-compatible API interface. It offers automatic fallback routing, cost control, usage analytics, and data policy management for teams deploying AI applications at scale. | A unified operations platform for LLM applications that provides infrastructure for routing API calls, tracking performance metrics, running experiments, and optimizing model and prompt configurations. Built as self-hosted open-source software designed for production-scale deployments. |
| features.capabilities | `{"caching":"exact","open_source":true,"pricing_model":"usage-based-saas","rate_limiting":true,"deployment_model":"managed-SaaS","routing_strategy":"cost-based","streaming_support":true,"architecture_model":"managed_cloud_saas","automatic_failover":true,"budget_spend_controls":true,"openai_compatible_api":true,"virtual_key_management":true,"request_cost_observability":true,"bring_your_own_keys_byok_routing":true,"streaming_token_support_server_sent_events":true,"universal_api_key_for_100_plus_llm_providers":true,"zero_data_retention_and_prompt_logging_opt_out":true,"auto_fallback_routing_on_rate_limit_or_downtime":true,"organization_wide_cost_tracking_and_chargebacks":true,"semantic_caching_for_repeat_queries_and_cost_savings":false}` | `{"open_source":true,"pricing_model":"open-source-self-host","deployment_model":"self-hosted","openai_compatible_api":true,"virtual_key_management":true,"request_cost_observability":true}` |
| integrations.count | 80 | 3 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Vercel AI SDK"},{"name":"Claude Code"},{"name":"Cursor"},{"name":"OpenAI SDK"},{"name":"OpenAI"},{"name":"Anthropic"},{"name":"Google"},{"name":"Meta"},{"name":"Mistral"},{"name":"Model Context Protocol (MCP)"},{"name":"Terraform"}]` | `[{"name":"OpenAI"},{"name":"Ollama"},{"name":"Slack"}]` |
| language.primary | - | Rust |
| license.spdx | - | Apache-2.0 |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | - |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true,"web":true}` | `{"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"hybrid","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free","summary":"Free tier, 50 requests/day, no card required","features":["25+ free models","4 free providers","Chat and API access","Community support"],"description":"Evaluation tier with limited access to test the platform","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"models":"25+ free models","providers":"4 free providers","rate_limit":"50 requests/day"}},{"free":false,"name":"Pay-as-you-go","summary":"5.5% platform fee on model usage, fee discounts available","features":["500+ models from 80+ providers","Automatic fallback routing","Activity logs and export","Auto-routing and preferred vendor selection","Budgets and spend controls","Prompt caching","Management API key","Email support","No minimum spend"],"components":[{"of":"usage","kind":"percentage","rate":5.5}],"description":"Usage-based pricing scaled by model and tokens consumed","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"models":"500+ models","providers":"80+ providers"}},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise","summary":"$25k/month list price inference with no fees, then 5% on overage","features":["500+ models, 80+ providers","Custom data policies and model/provider routing policies","Managed policy enforcement","SSO/SAML authentication","Contractual SLAs","Support SLA with shared Slack channel","High global rate limits","Optional dedicated limits","Invoicing options","Volume commitment pricing"],"commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":25000,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},{"of":"usage","kind":"percentage","rate":5}],"description":"Volume-based commitment with dedicated support and custom policies","contactSales":true,"includedLimits":{"free_inference_value":"$25,000 list price/month"}}],"summary":"Free tier available. Pay-as-you-go at 5.5% platform fee. Enterprise from $25k/month.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://openrouter.ai/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-21T13:44:21.104Z","billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.tensorzero.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-21T11:02:53.667Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | freemium | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | low | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | - |
| release.cadence_days | - | 6 |
| release.history | - | `[{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.6.0","date":"2026-06-04T15:15:42Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.6.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.5.2","date":"2026-05-20T13:48:00Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.5.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.5.1","date":"2026-05-15T19:09:30Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.5.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.5.0","date":"2026-05-08T20:45:55Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.4.1","date":"2026-04-24T17:46:47Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.4.0","date":"2026-04-02T17:00:15Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.4.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.3.4","date":"2026-03-26T14:27:42Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.3.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.3.3","date":"2026-03-18T16:23:28Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.3.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.3.2","date":"2026-03-13T16:09:19Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.3.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.3.1","date":"2026-03-05T22:13:25Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.3.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.3.0","date":"2026-03-04T20:40:09Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.3.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.2.2","date":"2026-02-26T18:47:41Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.2.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.2.1","date":"2026-02-16T21:54:07Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.2.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.2.0","date":"2026-02-05T19:42:51Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.1.8","date":"2026-01-30T22:37:46Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.1.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.1.7","date":"2026-01-30T19:29:46Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.1.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.1.6","date":"2026-01-30T17:42:01Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.1.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.1.5","date":"2026-01-24T17:25:58Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.1.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.1.2","date":"2026-01-15T19:33:47Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.1.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/tensorzero/tensorzero/releases/tag/2026.1.1","date":"2026-01-14T18:46:55Z","type":"stable","version":"2026.1.1"}]` |
| security.gdpr | yes | - |
| security.vulnerabilities | - | `{"count":1,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=pypi&package_name=tensorzero&per_page=100","last_12m":1,"max_severity":"HIGH"}` |

## Capabilities (Llm Gateways)

| Capability | OpenRouter | TensorZero |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Capabilities** |  |  |
| Openai compatible API | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automatic failover | ✓ | - |
| Routing strategy | Cost based | - |
| Caching | Exact | - |
| Virtual key management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Budget spend controls | ✓ | - |
| Rate limiting | ✓ | - |
| Guardrails moderation | - | - |
| Request cost observability | ✓ | ✓ |
| Streaming support | ✓ | - |
| Deployment model | Managed SaaS | Self hosted |
| Open source | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Usage based saas | Open source self host |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T15:21:27.960Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*