kitio.aiLiteLLM vs LocalAI
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. LocalAI is completely free, while LiteLLM is freemium.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- OpenAI-format SDK
- Proxy gateway
- Budgets and rate limits
- Provider fallbacks
- Spend tracking
- OpenAI-compatible API
- Multiple backends
- Text, image and audio
- Model gallery
- Docker images
| Feature | LiteLLM | LocalAI |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Open-source gateway to call 100+ LLM providers in OpenAI format | Self-hosted, OpenAI-compatible API for local text, image and audio models |
| Category | Models & APIs | Models & APIs |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free |
| Starting price | See pricing page | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes, fully free |
| Made by | BerriAI | LocalAI contributors |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
LocalAI is completely free, while LiteLLM is freemium.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
2 plans
Open Source
Free
- Self-hosted
- 100+ providers, one OpenAI API
- Virtual keys, budgets, rate limits
- Spend tracking and fallbacks
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Annual contract
- Air-gapped deployment
- 30-day trial key
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
LiteLLM
- Supports a huge provider list
- Free to self-host
- Good cost controls
- Fast releases can bring bugs
- Config gets complex at scale
- Enterprise features are paid
LocalAI
- One API for many model types
- Runs without a GPU
- Fully self-hosted
- Setup can be fiddly
- Performance varies by backend
- Smaller community than Ollama
Which one should you choose?
Choose LiteLLM if you want:
- Supports a huge provider list
- Free to self-host
- Good cost controls
Watch out: fast releases can bring bugs.
Choose LocalAI if you want:
- One API for many model types
- Runs without a GPU
- Fully self-hosted
Watch out: setup can be fiddly.
LiteLLM vs LocalAI FAQ
What is the difference between LiteLLM and LocalAI?
LiteLLM: Open-source gateway to call 100+ LLM providers in OpenAI format. LocalAI: Self-hosted, OpenAI-compatible API for local text, image and audio models. Both are models & apis tools.
Is LiteLLM or LocalAI cheaper?
LocalAI is completely free, while LiteLLM is freemium.
Do LiteLLM and LocalAI have free plans?
LiteLLM: Yes. LocalAI: Yes, fully free.
Who makes LiteLLM?
LiteLLM is made by BerriAI, based in United States.
Who makes LocalAI?
LocalAI is made by LocalAI contributors.
Which should I choose, LiteLLM or LocalAI?
Choose LiteLLM if you value supports a huge provider list and free to self-host. Choose LocalAI if you value one api for many model types and runs without a gpu.