OpenRouter vs Groq API
Free API comparison
| OpenRouter | Groq API | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI models and chat | AI models and chat |
| API key | Needed, free | Needed, free |
| Pricing | Free models are limited to 20 requests per minute and 50 per day, or 1,000 per day once you have bought at least 10 credits; other models are paid per token. | Free plan with a free API key and rate limits per model; paid plans for higher limits. |
| From the browser | Yes (CORS) | Yes (CORS) |
| Formats | JSON | JSON |
| Interface | REST, MCP | REST, MCP |
| Provider | openrouter.ai | console.groq.com |
| Last checked | Not stated | Working on November 1st, 2026 |
| MCP server | Yes, official | Yes, official |
Which one to choose
OpenRouter puts hundreds of models from many providers behind one OpenAI-compatible API; its free models are limited to 50 requests a day, or 1,000 a day once you have bought at least 10 credits. Groq runs a smaller set of open models on its own hardware, with a free plan and rate limits per model. Choose OpenRouter to try and switch between many models, Groq when you want fast answers from an open model.
Each service's own page has its full description, a code example and what visitors report: OpenRouter, Groq API.