kitio.aiGroq vs Cerebras
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Groq starts at See pricing page and Cerebras starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- LPU-based inference
- OpenAI-compatible API
- Speech-to-text models
- Batch API
- Free developer tier
- Wafer-scale inference
- OpenAI-compatible API
- Coding subscriptions
- Dedicated capacity
- Free developer tier
| Feature | Groq | Cerebras |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Very fast inference API for open models on custom LPU chips | Wafer-scale chips serving open models at record inference speeds |
| Category | Models & APIs | Models & APIs |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | See pricing page | See pricing page |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Groq | Cerebras Systems |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
|
Both offer: OpenAI-compatible API, Free developer tier.
Pricing compared
Groq starts at See pricing page and Cerebras starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Free
Free
- Rate-limited API access
- For prototyping
Developer
Pay per token
- Higher rate limits
- Pay-as-you-go by model
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Dedicated capacity
- Enterprise support
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Groq
- Extremely fast output
- Free tier without a card
- Low prices on small models
- Smaller model catalog
- Some models moved to enterprise pricing
- Rate limits on the free tier
Cerebras
- Among the fastest output speeds
- Free tier to start
- Good fit for coding agents
- Limited model selection
- Capacity can be constrained
- Context limits on some models
Which one should you choose?
Choose Groq if you want:
- Extremely fast output
- Free tier without a card
- Low prices on small models
Watch out: smaller model catalog.
Choose Cerebras if you want:
- Among the fastest output speeds
- Free tier to start
- Good fit for coding agents
Watch out: limited model selection.
Groq vs Cerebras FAQ
What is the difference between Groq and Cerebras?
Groq: Very fast inference API for open models on custom LPU chips. Cerebras: Wafer-scale chips serving open models at record inference speeds. Both are models & apis tools.
Is Groq or Cerebras cheaper?
Groq starts at See pricing page and Cerebras starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Groq and Cerebras have free plans?
Groq: Yes. Cerebras: Yes.
Who makes Groq?
Groq is made by Groq, based in United States.
Who makes Cerebras?
Cerebras is made by Cerebras Systems, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Groq or Cerebras?
Choose Groq if you value extremely fast output and free tier without a card. Choose Cerebras if you value among the fastest output speeds and free tier to start.