Key Insight
Quick comparison
| Provider | Strongest at | Multimodal | Fine-tuning | Dedicated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OneInfer | Routing + kernel optimization + multimodal | Text/vision/audio/video | Yes | Cloud/hybrid/self-host |
| Together AI | Model breadth, fine-tuning | LLM-focused | Yes | Yes |
| Fireworks AI | Fast open-model serving | Growing | Yes | Yes |
| Baseten | Managed custom/fine-tuned models | Model-dependent | Yes | Per-replica |
| DeepInfra | Lowest open-model token price | Some | Limited | Limited |
| Replicate | Prototyping, community models | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| OpenRouter | Reach across many providers | LLM-focused | No | No |
Capabilities move fast in this market — verify against each provider's current docs. Comparison maintained by OneInfer as of July 2026.
The providers, and who each is for
OneInfer — Best for multimodal + optimization
A universal realtime AI cloud: one OpenAI-compatible API that routes across providers, optimizes each model at the kernel level (Triton/CUDA), and serves text, vision, audio and video — with dedicated cloud, hybrid or self-hosted deployments. Pick OneInfer if you're building multimodal or agentic products, want sub-500ms latency under real traffic, and want routing plus dedicated capacity without gluing services together.
Together AI
The broadest model catalog with fine-tuning and dedicated serving through one API. Pick Together if you want the widest selection of open models and to iterate on custom fine-tunes.
Fireworks AI
Does one thing very well: serve optimized open models fast, with aggressive per-token pricing and batch discounts. Pick Fireworks if raw serving speed on open weights is your priority.
Baseten
Managed inference with strong observability, priced per replica-hour. Pick Baseten if your workload is custom or fine-tuned models and you value developer experience over stack control — just watch the always-on replica cost.
DeepInfra
Among the cheapest serverless token pricing for open models. Pick DeepInfra if cost-per-token on standard open models is the whole game and you don't need multimodal or dedicated capacity.
Replicate
Prototype-friendly hosting for a huge community model library (now part of Cloudflare). Pick Replicate if you're experimenting or shipping a solo project rather than high-scale production.
OpenRouter
An aggregation marketplace: one key, many providers, simple routing. Pick OpenRouter if you want maximum reach across text LLMs and don't need multimodal, kernel optimization or dedicated deployments. If you outgrow that, see our OpenRouter alternative.
How to choose in 60 seconds
Optimize for price on open models? DeepInfra or Fireworks. Need the widest catalog and fine-tuning? Together. Serving your own custom models with observability? Baseten. Just prototyping? Replicate. Maximum text-LLM reach? OpenRouter. Multimodal, latency-critical, or want routing + kernel optimization + dedicated capacity in one API? OneInfer. Model the cost side in the inference cost calculator.
Try the multimodal, kernel-optimized option
OpenAI-compatible, free to start, one endpoint change to migrate.
Frequently Asked Questions
+What is the best LLM inference API in 2026?
There's no single winner — it depends on workload. DeepInfra and Fireworks lead on open-model price and speed, Together on breadth and fine-tuning, Baseten on managed custom models, OpenRouter on reach, and OneInfer on multimodal, kernel-optimized inference with routing and dedicated deployments.
+What is the cheapest LLM inference API?
For standard open models, DeepInfra and Fireworks are typically among the lowest per-token. Because token prices shift monthly, estimate your specific workload rather than relying on list prices.
+Which inference API is fastest?
Fireworks is known for fast open-model serving; OneInfer targets sub-500ms latency via per-model kernel optimization and latency-aware routing. Real-world speed depends on model, region and traffic.
+Which supports multimodal (vision, audio, video)?
OneInfer supports text, vision, audio and video in one API and can combine them in a single request; most LLM-focused gateways are text-first.