LLM Gateway Comparison:
RelayPlane vs Bifrost vs LiteLLM vs Cloudflare vs OpenRouter
The LLM gateway space has matured fast. Each tool targets a different operator profile — from Python data teams to enterprise platform engineers. This page compares the six most-discussed options on install time, latency overhead, cost intelligence, MCP support, and licensing so you can pick the right one for your stack.
Node.js / npm dev
RelayPlane
Python / ML teams
LiteLLM
Go / high-throughput
Bifrost
Zero ops, cloud-only
Cloudflare AI Gateway
Enterprise API platform
Kong
Model exploration / no keys
OpenRouter
Full Feature Comparison
| Feature | RelayPlane | Bifrost | LiteLLM | Cloudflare | Kong | OpenRouter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Install method RelayPlane is the only npm-native option — zero runtime dependencies | npm install -g (30s) | Go binary / Docker | pip install (~2 min) | SaaS (no install) | Docker / k8s | SaaS (no install) |
| Node.js native RelayPlane runs natively in Node.js; others require separate runtimes | ||||||
| Self-hosted Cloudflare and OpenRouter are cloud-only | ||||||
| Latency overhead Local gateways add near-zero latency; cloud gateways add a full network hop | ~0ms (local) | ~11µs (local) | ~1–5ms (local) | 10–50ms (network) | ~2–10ms | 10–50ms (network) |
| Cost intelligence / routing RelayPlane routes by task complexity to the cheapest capable model | Plugin (paid) | |||||
| MCP support RelayPlane ships MCP server support in v1.0.0 | ||||||
| License | MIT | Apache 2.0 | MIT | Proprietary | Apache 2.0 / Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Pricing model | Free / OSS | Free / OSS | Free + Enterprise | Usage-based (free tier) | Free + Enterprise | Usage-based markup |
| Multi-provider routing | ||||||
| Observability / logging | ||||||
| Fallback on failure | ||||||
| Rate limit management | ||||||
| Caching | ||||||
| Enterprise SSO / RBAC | Enterprise | Enterprise | ||||
| Claude Code compatible RelayPlane is designed with Claude Code / coding agent workflows in mind |
Data based on publicly available documentation as of March 2026. Latency figures are approximate and vary by deployment. Corrections welcome on GitHub.
About Each Tool
RelayPlane
npm-native LLM gateway
RelayPlane is the only LLM gateway built natively for Node.js. Install it in 30 seconds with npm, configure once, and get automatic cost optimization by routing requests to the cheapest model capable of the task. It ships with MCP server support (v1.0.0), built-in cost intelligence, and a local-first architecture that adds zero network latency. MIT licensed and open source. Best fit for Node.js shops, solo devs, and coding agent workflows.
Bifrost
High-performance Go gateway
Bifrost is a battle-tested, high-performance LLM gateway written in Go. It shines in enterprise environments that need extremely low latency (sub-millisecond overhead), Kubernetes-native deployment, and deep team/project isolation. The Go runtime is a strength for raw throughput and concurrency, though it means a separate service rather than something you drop into a Node project. Strong observability, solid fallback routing, and an active open-source community. Best fit for platform teams deploying at scale.
LiteLLM
Python-first proxy with 100+ providers
LiteLLM is the most battle-tested open-source LLM proxy and probably the most widely deployed. Written in Python, it supports 100+ providers out of the box and has a mature ecosystem of integrations, observability hooks, and enterprise features. The pip install works well in Python-heavy stacks; in Node.js projects it typically runs as a sidecar. Its virtual key system and spend tracking make it compelling for cost control across large teams. Best fit for Python shops, data science teams, and anyone who needs maximum provider coverage.
Cloudflare AI Gateway
Zero-infra cloud gateway
Cloudflare AI Gateway requires no infrastructure management whatsoever: point your API calls at a Cloudflare URL and you get logging, caching, rate limiting, and basic analytics instantly. The tradeoff is that every request makes a full network round-trip through Cloudflare's edge, adding 10-50ms of latency. It's proprietary and cloud-only, so self-hosting and data sovereignty aren't options. For teams already deep in the Cloudflare ecosystem or those who want zero ops overhead, it's genuinely compelling. Best fit for JAMstack teams and Cloudflare Workers developers.
Kong AI Gateway
Enterprise API gateway with AI plugins
Kong is the most enterprise-complete option on this list: it's an API gateway that added first-class LLM routing via its AI plugins. You get everything large organizations need — SSO, RBAC, detailed audit logs, a rich plugin ecosystem, and mature Kubernetes operators. The cost is real: Kong is operationally heavy, the enterprise features require a paid license, and setup time is measured in hours, not seconds. Best fit for large enterprises that already run Kong for their API infrastructure and want to extend it to LLM traffic.
OpenRouter
Hosted model marketplace
OpenRouter solves a different problem than the other tools here: it lets you access models you may not have direct API keys for, with unified billing across providers. There is no self-hosted option and no infrastructure to manage. The tradeoff is a small markup on usage, network latency on every call, and less control over routing logic. Its real strength is the breadth of models available, including many that are otherwise hard to access. Best fit for developers who want to experiment with many models without managing multiple accounts.
Why RelayPlane?
Every other gateway on this list was built before Node.js became the default runtime for AI agents and coding tools. RelayPlane was built for the world we live in now — where your AI gateway should be a single npm install, not a sidecar service in a language you don't use.
30-second setup
npm install -g @relayplane/proxy and you're done. No Docker, no Python env, no Go toolchain.
Zero latency overhead
Runs in-process with your Node app. Requests never leave localhost, so there's no network hop eating your latency budget.
Cost intelligence built in
Routes each request to the cheapest model that can handle the task. Teams typically see 40-60% reduction in API spend without changing a line of app code.
MCP-ready
First LLM gateway to ship a production MCP server (v1.0.0). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.
MIT licensed
Fully open source. Audit it, fork it, self-host it forever at no cost.
Your keys, your data
RelayPlane never holds your API keys or proxies your prompts through a third-party cloud. Everything stays on your infrastructure.