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CompareAPIcuts vs Helicone
Helicone is an LLM observability platform with gateway features such as caching, rate limits and automatic fallbacks. Its plans run from a free Hobby tier to Pro at $79 a month and Team at $799 a month, with usage-based charges on top. apicuts shows you where your money goes too, and then cuts it.
Choose Helicone for detailed logging, tracing and analytics that your team works with. Choose apicuts when you want the bill cut for you, with at least 20% guaranteed after our fee.
At a glance
| apicuts | Helicone | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Done-for-you LLM API gateway with cost optimization | LLM observability platform with gateway features |
| Price | 10% of verified savings. No retainer | Free Hobby tier; Pro $79 a month; Team $799 a month; usage-based charges on top; Enterprise custom |
| Savings guarantee | At least 20% lower all-in cost after our fee, or you pay nothing | None listed on its pricing page |
| Optimization work | Done for you by an optimization engineer | Insights and tools for your team to act on |
| Setup | Onboarding call, live in 1 day | Self-serve signup |
| Best for | Teams whose main problem is cost | Teams that need detailed request logs, traces and analytics |
When Helicone is the better fit
- You need detailed request logs, traces and analytics.
- Your team wants to investigate and tune usage itself.
- Observability matters more than the size of the bill.
When apicuts is the better fit
- Your LLM bill is the problem, and you want it fixed for you.
- You want a written guarantee, measured after fees.
- You want results in a day without changing your stack.
Can you use both?
Yes. You can keep Helicone for observability and let apicuts handle the savings.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Helicone cost?
According to its pricing page, Helicone has a free Hobby tier, Pro at $79 a month and Team at $799 a month, with usage-based charges, plus custom enterprise pricing.
Is apicuts a Helicone alternative?
For cost, yes. Helicone helps you see your spend; apicuts lowers it, with at least 20% guaranteed after our fee.
Does apicuts include a dashboard?
Yes. The savings dashboard shows actual spend, baseline costs and realized savings, tracked per token.
Helicone details checked on October 30, 2026 from its own website. Prices change, so check their site for current terms.
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