LLM cost tracking tools, compared
Most LLM observability tools are proxies you route traffic through, SDKs you instrument, or enterprise suites priced for enterprise. LLMeter is the open-source alternative: connect a read-only API key and see spend across every provider in 30 seconds. No proxy, no SDK, no code changes.
Free forever for 1 provider. No credit card required.
Compare LLMeter to your current tool
Already using one of these? Here is the honest, side-by-side breakdown.
LLMeter vs Helicone
Proxy-based observability — acquired by Mintlify (March 2026), active development stopped.
LLMeter vs Langfuse
Open-source tracing with SDK instrumentation and self-hosting overhead.
LLMeter vs LangSmith
Closed-source, LangChain-centric, with per-seat pricing.
LLMeter vs Datadog LLM Observability
An enterprise APM add-on — powerful but heavy to adopt and priced for enterprise.
LLMeter vs OpenAI Usage Dashboard
Single-provider and delayed — no unified, multi-provider cost view.
LLMeter vs Portkey
An AI gateway you route production traffic through to get observability.
LLMeter vs Braintrust
Eval-focused platform where cost tracking is a secondary concern.
Why teams choose LLMeter
The differences that hold up no matter which tool you are leaving.
Open-source (MIT)
Read the code, self-host it, fork it. No black box, no vendor lock-in.
No proxy, no SDK
Connect a read-only API key. Your traffic never routes through us — zero added latency.
Multi-provider in one view
OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, OpenRouter, Mistral and Azure OpenAI on a single dashboard.
Cost-first, not eval-first
Built specifically to answer "where is my LLM spend going?" — not a side feature.
Transparent pricing
Free forever for 1 provider. Pro $19/mo, Team $49/mo. No per-seat surprises.
Independent
Not acquired, not in maintenance mode. Actively developed in the open.
See it on real data first.
Skip the signup — the live demo shows a real 30-day spend dataset in the same dashboard paying users get. Then connect your own read-only key in 30 seconds.
No credit card required. Free plan never expires.