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Best Open Source LLM API Gateways

Comprehensive guide to self-hosted, community-driven LLM gateway solutions. Compare features, deployment options, and find the perfect fit for your infrastructure needs.

★★★ 100% Open Source
8+
Active Projects
50K+
GitHub Stars
1000+
Contributors
MIT/Apache
License Types

LiteLLM

⭐ 15K+ Stars 🔀 1.5K+ Forks 📋 MIT License

LiteLLM is the leading open source LLM gateway, supporting over 100 different LLM providers through a unified OpenAI-compatible API. Built with Python, it offers enterprise-grade features while remaining completely free and self-hostable. The project maintains active development with regular updates and strong community support.

Python FastAPI Redis PostgreSQL Docker
100+ LLM providers with unified API
Built-in rate limiting and caching
Cost tracking and budget management
Enterprise SSO integration
Fallback and retry mechanisms
Comprehensive audit logging

🚀 Quick Start

pip install litellm
litellm --model gpt-3.5-turbo

LangChain Gateway

⭐ 10K+ Stars 🔀 800+ Forks 📋 MIT License

Part of the LangChain ecosystem, this gateway provides seamless integration with LangChain applications while supporting multiple LLM providers. It offers advanced features like prompt management, conversation memory, and chain orchestration through a well-documented API interface.

Python LangChain FastAPI Pydantic
Native LangChain integration
Prompt template management
Conversation memory support
Chain orchestration
Streaming responses
Multi-provider routing

🚀 Quick Start

pip install langchain
from langchain.llms import Gateway

Gloo AI Gateway

⭐ 5K+ Stars 🔀 400+ Forks 📋 Apache 2.0

Built on Envoy proxy technology, Gloo AI Gateway delivers exceptional performance for cloud-native deployments. It provides Kubernetes-native configuration, advanced traffic management, and seamless integration with service mesh architectures. Perfect for organizations heavily invested in container orchestration.

Go Envoy Kubernetes Istio
Kubernetes-native deployment
Envoy-based high performance
Service mesh integration
mTLS security
Custom filter chains
Advanced traffic policies

🚀 Quick Start

kubectl apply -f gloo-ai-gateway.yaml
glooctl install gateway

LocalAI

⭐ 20K+ Stars 🔀 1.5K+ Forks 📋 MIT License

LocalAI is a self-hosted, OpenAI-compatible API gateway that runs entirely locally without requiring external API calls. It supports various open-source models including LLaMA, GPT-J, and others. Perfect for privacy-focused deployments and organizations requiring complete control over their AI infrastructure.

Go C++ CUDA Docker
Complete local execution
No internet required
GPU acceleration support
Multiple model formats
OpenAI-compatible API
Image generation support

🚀 Quick Start

docker run -p 8080:8080 localai/localai
curl localhost:8080/v1/models

Ollama Gateway

⭐ 8K+ Stars 🔀 500+ Forks 📋 MIT License

Ollama provides a simple yet powerful way to run large language models locally. Its gateway component exposes an OpenAI-compatible API, making it easy to integrate with existing applications. The project focuses on simplicity and ease of use while maintaining performance and flexibility.

Go llama.cpp CUDA Metal
One-command model setup
Cross-platform support
Model library management
GPU acceleration (CUDA/Metal)
OpenAI-compatible endpoints
Model quantization

🚀 Quick Start

curl https://ollama.ai/install.sh | sh
ollama run llama2

Feature Comparison Matrix

Feature LiteLLM LangChain Gloo LocalAI Ollama
Provider Support 100+ 50+ 20+ Local Only Local Only
Kubernetes Native Via Helm Manual
Rate Limiting Basic Basic
Cost Tracking Enterprise N/A N/A
Caching

🔗 Related Open Source Resources

Continue exploring: Self-Hosted Proxy Guide | Best Gateways 2025 | Ollama OpenAI API Setup | Enterprise Solutions