LiteLLM is an open-source AI gateway and Python SDK that helps developers connect applications to multiple model providers through one unified API. CheapestToken is a hosted AI API platform that provides access to supported models through its own platform and trusted partners, with prepaid billing and discounts on selected models. Both simplify working with multiple AI models, but they solve different problems. Here are four important differences to understand.
You Manage the Infrastructure. We Provide Ready-to-Use API Access.
LiteLLM: LiteLLM's open-source gateway is free to self-host, but you are responsible for deploying, configuring, and maintaining the gateway in your own infrastructure. You also need to connect your model providers and configure their credentials.
CheapestToken: We provide a ready-to-use API without requiring you to deploy or maintain your own gateway. Create an account, add wallet credits, generate an API key, and start using supported models.
Separate Provider Accounts vs One Prepaid Wallet
LiteLLM: You connect your own provider accounts and API keys, with inference usage billed by the respective providers. You remain responsible for managing those accounts, credentials, and provider bills.
CheapestToken: We bring supported model access and billing into one prepaid wallet. Add credits once and pay for API usage based on the tokens consumed, without managing separate provider billing accounts for the models available on our platform.
Provider Pricing vs Actual Model Discounts
LiteLLM: LiteLLM does not set the underlying model prices or provide inference discounts itself. Your costs depend on the providers and pricing arrangements configured in your gateway.
CheapestToken: We offer discounted rates on selected models. These are reflected in our published model pricing, helping you get more value from your API spending.
Configure Your Own Provider Routing vs Managed Model Access
LiteLLM: You get extensive control over your model infrastructure, including provider selection, load balancing, retries, fallbacks, and routing strategies. This flexibility is useful when you want to manage multiple deployments and customise request handling.
CheapestToken: We provide a selected range of models through our platform and trusted partners. You can access supported models through one API without configuring and managing separate provider deployments yourself.
Free Software Doesn't Mean Zero Operating Costs
LiteLLM: Its open-source gateway is free, but you still need infrastructure to host it, maintain deployments, monitor performance, and handle updates. Production setups can also require databases, caching infrastructure, and additional engineering time. Enterprise features such as advanced access controls, audit logs, and dedicated support require a paid licence.
CheapestToken: We handle the hosted API infrastructure for you. There is no need to deploy, maintain, or scale your own AI gateway. You can focus on building your application while paying for the API usage you consume.
Security & Supply Chain: Code Control vs Managed API Access
LiteLLM: Its open-source code gives developers visibility and control, but self-hosting also means managing package versions, dependencies, updates, and credential security. In March 2026, malicious LiteLLM PyPI versions 1.82.7 and 1.82.8 were available for approximately 40 minutes, exposing affected installations to credential theft.
CheapestToken: We provide hosted API access, so you don't need to install, maintain, or update the LiteLLM Python gateway yourself. This removes that particular package-management responsibility from your application, allowing you to focus on building rather than maintaining gateway infrastructure.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose LiteLLM if you want open-source gateway infrastructure, control over your provider accounts, and advanced routing flexibility. Choose CheapestToken if you want ready-to-use model access, one prepaid wallet, and discounted rates on selected models without managing your own gateway infrastructure.
CheapestToken - One API. Real discount. Every model. One wallet. Pay per token.