When should you use LiteLLM, and when should you skip it?

Use LiteLLM when: the widest provider coverage, deployed the least committal way. Skip it when: you want routing policy to live in a SaaS console.

When should you use Portkey, and when should you skip it?

Use Portkey when: a managed gateway with guardrails and analytics already bundled. Skip it when: prompts cannot leave your infrastructure.

When should you use Cloudflare AI Gateway, and when should you skip it?

Use Cloudflare AI Gateway when: edge caching and latency dominate, on Cloudflare already. Skip it when: requests must not transit a third party's network.

When should you use Envoy AI Gateway, and when should you skip it?

Use Envoy AI Gateway when: a Kubernetes shop that already runs Envoy and needs the gateway in-cluster. Skip it when: you want a gateway configurable without a data plane.

← Comparisons

LiteLLM vs Portkey vs Cloudflare AI Gateway

Every one of these solves 'talk to many providers through one interface'. They differ sharply on where your prompts physically travel, which is a compliance question before it is a technical one.

Short answer

Self-host LiteLLM if you need breadth and control; it is the least committal. Choose Portkey if you want a managed product with guardrails included and are comfortable with a SaaS dependency.

By Lattice editorial · Licence and cost facts verified 2026-09 · method

Routing & Gateways

LiteLLMWidest provider coverage, self-host friendly.
PortkeyGateway plus guardrails and analytics, SaaS-first.
Cloudflare AI GatewayEdge network, caching close to users.
Envoy AI GatewayCNCF, for Kubernetes shops that already run Envoy.

LiteLLM vs Portkey vs Cloudflare AI Gateway compared across 5 dimensions
Dimension	LiteLLM	Portkey	Cloudflare AI Gateway	Envoy AI Gateway
Deployment	Self-host or cloud	Cloud-first, self-host available	Managed edge service	Self-host in your cluster
Provider count	100+	Broad	Broad	Plugin-driven
Caching	Redis-backed, including semantic	Yes	Yes, at the edge	Via the data plane
Routing logic	Yours — config plus code	Policy engine, mostly declarative	Simple rules at the edge	Yours, expressed as Envoy config
Where prompts go	Your infrastructure, if self-hosted	Vendor SaaS unless self-hosted	Through Cloudflare's edge	Never leaves your cluster

Scroll the table sideways to see every tool.

What this table is not. These are editorial judgements, not benchmarks: Lattice has not run these tools head to head, and no cell uses GitHub stars or vendor benchmark claims as evidence. Licence and cost facts are re-checked on a schedule the build enforces — the receipt is public.

The recommendation

Which should you choose: LiteLLM, Portkey, Cloudflare AI Gateway or Envoy AI Gateway?

Self-host LiteLLM if you need breadth and control; it is the least committal. Choose Portkey if you want a managed product with guardrails included and are comfortable with a SaaS dependency. Cloudflare AI Gateway is the pick when latency and edge caching dominate, and Envoy AI Gateway when you need a gateway that never sees traffic leave your network.

Rules of thumb

Put a gateway in front of your provider calls early, even if it only does auth and logging. It is the only place that sees the whole request.
Never put prompt construction in the gateway. It is a control plane, not application logic.
Budgets are only enforceable where spend is attributed, which means identity has to propagate from the gateway inward.

Quick answers

When should you use LiteLLM, and when should you skip it?: Use LiteLLM when: the widest provider coverage, deployed the least committal way. Skip it when: you want routing policy to live in a SaaS console.
When should you use Portkey, and when should you skip it?: Use Portkey when: a managed gateway with guardrails and analytics already bundled. Skip it when: prompts cannot leave your infrastructure.
When should you use Cloudflare AI Gateway, and when should you skip it?: Use Cloudflare AI Gateway when: edge caching and latency dominate, on Cloudflare already. Skip it when: requests must not transit a third party's network.
When should you use Envoy AI Gateway, and when should you skip it?: Use Envoy AI Gateway when: a Kubernetes shop that already runs Envoy and needs the gateway in-cluster. Skip it when: you want a gateway configurable without a data plane.