kitio.aiOllama vs Helicone
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Ollama has the lower starting price: about $20 a month, against $79 for Helicone.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- One-command model runs
- OpenAI-compatible local API
- Model library
- Desktop chat app
- Ollama Cloud
- Request logging and tracing
- Sessions and user analytics
- HQL query language
- Alerts and rate limits
- Prompt management
- Response caching
| Feature | Ollama | Helicone |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Run open models locally with one command, plus optional cloud models | Open-source AI gateway and LLM observability platform |
| Category | Models & APIs | Models & APIs |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $79/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Ollama | Helicone, Inc. |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Ollama has the lower starting price: about $20 a month, against $79 for Helicone.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
5 plans
Pay as you go
Free
- Run models locally for free
- Pay per token for cloud models
- 3 concurrent requests
Pro
$20/mo
- $60 of usage credits per month
- Access to larger pro models
Max
$100/mo
- $300 of usage credits per month
- 10 concurrent requests
- Early access to new models
Team
$500/mo
- Unlimited users
- $1,000 shared credits per month
- Centralized billing, priority support
Enterprise
Custom
- Cost budgets per user and key
- Dedicated Slack support
4 plans
Hobby
Free
- 10,000 requests per month
- 1 seat
- 1 organization
Pro
$79/mo
- Unlimited seats
- Alerts and reports
- HQL query language
- Usage-based pricing applies
Team
$799/mo
- 5 organizations
- SOC 2 and HIPAA compliance
- Dedicated Slack channel
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Custom MSA
- SAML SSO
- On-prem deployment
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
Ollama
- Very easy local setup
- Huge tool ecosystem
- Free for local use
- Fewer tuning options than llama.cpp
- Large models need strong hardware
- Cloud limits can change
Helicone
- Works with many LLM providers
- Generous free request allowance
- Open-source codebase
- Usage fees on top of paid plans
- Big jump from Pro to Team at $799
- SSO and on-prem limited to Enterprise
Which one should you choose?
Choose Ollama if you want:
- Very easy local setup
- Huge tool ecosystem
- Free for local use
Watch out: fewer tuning options than llama.cpp.
Choose Helicone if you want:
- Works with many LLM providers
- Generous free request allowance
- Open-source codebase
Watch out: usage fees on top of paid plans.
Ollama vs Helicone FAQ
What is the difference between Ollama and Helicone?
Ollama: Run open models locally with one command, plus optional cloud models. Helicone: Open-source AI gateway and LLM observability platform. Both are models & apis tools.
Is Ollama or Helicone cheaper?
Ollama has the lower starting price: about $20 a month, against $79 for Helicone.
Do Ollama and Helicone have free plans?
Ollama: Yes. Helicone: Yes.
Who makes Ollama?
Ollama is made by Ollama, based in United States.
Who makes Helicone?
Helicone is made by Helicone, Inc., based in United States.
Which should I choose, Ollama or Helicone?
Choose Ollama if you value very easy local setup and huge tool ecosystem. Choose Helicone if you value works with many llm providers and generous free request allowance.