RelayPlane vs Lunary
Lunary is a strong open-source LLM analytics tool for Python teams. RelayPlane is npm-native, zero-config, and routes to the cheapest model that gets the job done.
TL;DR
Choose RelayPlane if you want:
- One-command npm setup with no Docker or Python
- Local proxy mode with no SDK changes required
- Smart routing to reduce costs per request
- Cost data stored locally, never sent to the cloud by default
Lunary may fit if you need:
- Python-first LLM analytics in a data science workflow
- Trace visualization and evaluation tooling
- A large open-source community around GitHub stars
Feature Comparison
| Feature | RelayPlane | Lunary |
|---|---|---|
| npm install RelayPlane is one npm command. Lunary's primary SDK is Python, with a JavaScript SDK as a secondary option. | npm install -g @relayplane/proxy | pip install lunary (Python SDK) |
| Language support RelayPlane is built for Node.js teams. Lunary's core tooling and docs center on Python. | Node.js / TypeScript native | Python-first, JS available |
| Setup time RelayPlane runs immediately after install. Lunary requires creating a project and configuring an app ID. | Under 2 minutes, no config | Requires project setup and API key in dashboard |
| Cost dashboard RelayPlane tracks per-request token costs in local SQLite and surfaces them in a built-in dashboard. Lunary shows usage analytics but does not route to minimize cost. | Analytics focused, no routing | |
| Model routing RelayPlane routes to Haiku, Sonnet, or Opus based on task complexity. Lunary has no routing layer. | ||
| Proxy mode RelayPlane is a local HTTP proxy -- point your baseURL at it and get cost tracking without SDK changes. Lunary requires wrapping calls with its SDK. | ||
| Dashboard RelayPlane's dashboard runs on localhost. Lunary's dashboard is hosted at lunary.ai and requires an account. | Built-in, local | Cloud-hosted web UI |
| Self-host option Both can be self-hosted. RelayPlane is self-hosted by default. Lunary self-hosting requires Docker Compose. | ||
| Open source Both are open source. RelayPlane proxy is MIT-licensed. Lunary is MIT-licensed and GitHub-star driven. | ||
| Data stays local RelayPlane stores all cost data in local SQLite by default. Lunary sends data to lunary.ai unless you self-host. | Optional (self-host required) | |
| Team size fit RelayPlane targets Node.js product teams and AI agent builders. Lunary is popular in data science and ML workflows. | Solo devs to enterprise | Best for data/ML teams |
| Latency overhead RelayPlane adds minimal overhead as a local proxy. Lunary logs asynchronously but wraps every call in its SDK. | Minimal, local process | SDK wrapper, async logging |
| Enterprise plan RelayPlane's Max plan adds governance and spend controls. Lunary offers enterprise features via a paid tier. | Max plan with spend controls | Enterprise tier available |
| 11-provider support (incl. Ollama) | Major providers, via SDK | |
| Zero-config start RelayPlane works with no config file. Lunary requires an app ID and project setup before any data appears. |
Why Node.js Teams Choose RelayPlane over Lunary
npm-native, not a Python port
npm install -g @relayplane/proxy and you are running. No Python environment, no Docker, no cloud signup required. RelayPlane was built for Node.js from day one.
Proxy mode, not SDK wrapping
Point your baseURL at the local proxy and every request is tracked automatically. No SDK imports, no call wrapping, no refactoring your codebase.
Cost routing, not just observability
RelayPlane routes each request to the right model tier based on complexity, reducing costs automatically. Lunary observes and reports but does not route.
When Lunary Is Not the Right Fit
Lunary shines for Python ML teams who want trace visibility and evaluation pipelines. But if your stack is Node.js and you want cost routing alongside observability, you will hit a wall: Lunary has no proxy mode, no model routing, and requires SDK wrapping for every provider call.
RelayPlane drops in as a local HTTP proxy with no code changes. You get per-request cost tracking, smart routing to cheaper models, and a local dashboard -- all without changing your provider calls or sending data to a third party.