BerriAI/litellm - GitHub vs Perplexity AI
Side-by-side comparison · Updated October 2026
| Description | LiteLLM is an AI gateway and Python SDK from Berrie AI Incorporated, published in the BerriAI GitHub repository. The SDK provides a common interface for model calls inside Python applications. The proxy gateway centralizes access for a team, with virtual keys, model routing, spend tracking, budgets and an administration interface. The official documentation lists support for more than 100 model providers. Supported endpoints and features vary by integration, so verify your model’s streaming, tool-calling, image, audio or embedding requirements. The router supports retries, fallbacks and load balancing; observability integrations can send request data to tools such as Langfuse, LangSmith and OpenTelemetry. LiteLLM also provides an MCP gateway. It can connect upstream servers using Streamable HTTP, SSE or stdio, expose tools through a fixed gateway endpoint, and scope access by key, team or organization. This requires configuring the upstream servers and authentication; the gateway does not automatically grant access to third-party tools. Agent-to-agent integrations are documented separately. The open-source offering has no software license fee for self-hosting. Code outside the enterprise directory is MIT-licensed, while enterprise code has separate terms. Enterprise pricing is quoted by annual gateway request capacity, deployment architecture and support needs, rather than a per-token license charge. Model-provider charges and infrastructure costs still apply. Enterprise adds controls and support such as SSO, SCIM, audit logs and service-level agreements. Compare New API for another self-hosted gateway with provider-channel management and usage accounting. Evaluate a representative workload, inspect request logging and secret handling, test budget and failure behavior, and decide whether SDK integration or a shared gateway best fits your application. | Perplexity is a search and research assistant that returns cited answers and offers free and Pro access. Pro is a strong fit when following current sources, comparing evidence, or working through research files is the main job. Its plan pages describe several allowances as weekly or monthly average use, so check the current account view instead of assuming a fixed quota. |
| Category | Developer Tools | AI Assistant |
| Rating | No reviews | No reviews |
| Pricing | Open Source | Freemium |
| Starting Price | N/A | Free |
| Plans | — |
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| Tags | AI gatewayPython SDKLLM routingMCP gatewayvirtual keys | advanced searchfree planpremium planimage uploadsmultiple languages |
| Features | ||
| Python SDK for direct application integration | ||
| Shared AI proxy gateway and administration UI | ||
| More than 100 documented model-provider integrations | ||
| Virtual keys, users, teams, budgets and rate limits | ||
| Spend tracking and observability integrations | ||
| Router retries, fallbacks and load balancing | ||
| MCP gateway for Streamable HTTP, SSE and stdio upstreams | ||
| Key, team and organization MCP permissions | ||
| Separate enterprise identity, audit and support features | ||
| Cited web search | ||
| Extended Pro Search | ||
| Research workflows | ||
| Advanced-model access | ||
| File and attachment analysis | ||
| Up to 50 files per project | ||
| Source verification still required | ||
| Separate API billing | ||
| View BerriAI/litellm - GitHub | View Perplexity AI | |
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