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Helicone review

Updated September 28, 2026 · DeployCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Helicone suits teams that want one gateway endpoint and would rather not pay gateway margin on model spend. It runs a subscription plus usage credits at no markup on provider rates, and the median gateway in this comparison routes 9 providers.

Key facts

Best for
One OpenAI-compatible gateway bought at provider rates, with your own keys and a free tier to start.
Fee model
Subscription + usage-based credits at 0% markup on provider rates↗
Bring your own key
Yes↗
OpenAI-compatible API
Yes↗
Free tier
Yes↗
Legal entity
Helicone, Inc↗
Headquarters
United States↗
Founded
2023↗
Support channels
Email, Chat, Help-centre, Community↗
Official website
helicone.ai

Facts checked September 26, 2026, 4 sources

Apps and profiles

Elsewhere
LinkedInXgithub.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Usage credits are bought at no markup on provider rates, so the gateway does not inflate the model bill.
  • You can bring your own key, so provider accounts, invoices and rate limits stay with you.
  • There is a free tier to try the gateway before a subscription starts.
  • The API is OpenAI-compatible, which keeps existing client code in place.

Cons

  • Support runs on email, chat and help centre, with no phone line among the listed channels.
  • The subscription sits on top of usage credits, so a quiet month still carries the plan fee.
  • Bring your own key keeps provider contracts and rate limits outside the gateway.
Helicone

Ready to try Helicone?

Scored 9.1 / 10 by DeployCue.

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Who it suits

  • Teams that want a single OpenAI-compatible endpoint across several model providers.
  • Developers who prefer keeping their own provider keys and paying provider rates directly.
  • Small teams trying gateway tooling on the free tier before committing to a subscription.

Who should look elsewhere

  • LiteLLM, for teams that want to self-host an open source gateway under an MIT licence at no cost instead of buying a subscription and credits.
  • Salad, for teams that would rather have a flat monthly subscription or pay per token than hold usage credits.
  • Supascale AI, for buyers who want prepaid credits for AI models with a private network rather than a gateway subscription.

Who runs it

Helicone is run by Helicone, Inc, headquartered in the United States and founded in 2023, which makes it one of the newer names in this group. Support runs through email, chat and help centre, so self-serve material and community answers sit alongside direct email and chat for a team on a subscription plus usage credits.

How Helicone compares

Frequently asked questions

What does Helicone cost, and is there markup on model spend?+

Pricing is a subscription plus usage-based credits bought at no markup on provider rates, so the model bill stays the provider bill. A free tier is there for trying the gateway. The contracting company is Helicone, Inc, and the stated fee model adds no per-token surcharge of its own.

Can I use my own provider keys?+

Yes. Bring your own key is supported, so provider accounts, invoices and rate limits stay with each provider rather than with the gateway. Helicone still bills its own subscription and usage credits on top, and the entity behind those terms is Helicone, Inc in the United States.

Is the Helicone API OpenAI-compatible?+

The API is OpenAI-compatible, so code written against the OpenAI interface can be pointed at Helicone instead. Bringing your own key is supported as well, and a free tier lets a trial run before a subscription starts. The company is Helicone, Inc, headquartered in the United States.

What support does Helicone offer?+

Support runs through email, chat and help centre, so self-serve material and community answers carry routine questions while email and chat take the rest. That mix suits teams happy to work in writing rather than by phone, and a help centre gives the same reference material to everyone on a plan.

Who else is in this comparison?+

The shortlist runs to 3 named alternatives alongside Helicone: LiteLLM, Salad and Supascale AI. Across the group, 42 gateways are tracked for this comparison. Helicone's stated differentiator is the fee model, a subscription plus usage credits at no markup on provider rates.

How many providers does a gateway in this group typically route?+

The median gateway compared here routes 9 providers, and the group as a whole runs from 6 to 19. Helicone's stated fee model keeps provider rates intact, so adding a provider does not add gateway margin.

Who is Helicone and how long has it run?+

Helicone is operated by Helicone, Inc, a US company founded in 2023, making it one of the newer names among the gateways compared. Support runs through email, chat and help centre, with the free tier offering a way in before any spend.

Sources

Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Providers routed.

Helicone

Helicone

One OpenAI-compatible gateway bought at provider rates, with your own keys and a free tier to start.

9.1/10See alternatives