LiteLLM vs Unify (2026)
Updated March 10, 2026
Overview
LiteLLM is an open-source LLM gateway and Python SDK from BerriAI that puts 140+ providers behind one OpenAI-compatible API you host yourself.
Unify provides intelligent LLM routing that automatically selects the optimal model and provider for each request based on quality, cost, and latency constraints. It benchmarks 100+ endpoints across providers and dynamically routes traffic to maximize performance while minimizing costs.
Key features
Core capabilities each platform advertises.
- OpenAI-compatible proxy for 140+ providers
- Virtual keys scoped to users and teams
- Budgets, rate limits, and spend tracking
- Fallbacks, retries, and load balancing
- Guardrails for PII masking and prompt injection
Strengths and tradeoffs
What each tool does well, and the limitations to keep in mind.
Pros
- MIT-licensed proxy, free at any volume
- 140+ providers behind one OpenAI-compatible API
- Virtual keys and budgets per user and team
- Runs inside your own infrastructure
Cons
- You run, scale, and secure the proxy yourself
- Two PyPI releases were compromised in a March 2026 supply chain attack
- SSO, RBAC, and audit logs require the Enterprise license
- Tracing and evals depend on separate tools
Pros
- Developer-friendly platform
- Production-ready
- Good performance
- Active development
Cons
- Enterprise pricing varies
- Setup complexity
- Learning curve
LiteLLM or Unify — which should you choose?
Choose LiteLLM if you wantChoose if you want
- Self-hosted LLM gateway for data control
- Standardizing LLM access across teams
- Budget enforcement per team or project
- Switching providers without code changes
- Issuing scoped API keys to internal users
Choose Unify if you wantChoose if you want
Compare LiteLLM and Unify on your own traffic
Respan lets you trace LLM and agent calls across any model or framework, A/B test prompts on production traffic, and route requests across 1,000+ models through one gateway.
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