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APIcuts vs Portkey

Portkey is an AI gateway built for observability, guardrails and governance, with a free developer tier, a Production plan from $49 a month and custom enterprise pricing. apicuts is a done-for-you gateway built for one outcome: a lower LLM bill, guaranteed.

Quick answer

Choose Portkey when governance and visibility across many AI apps is the main problem. Choose apicuts when cost is the main problem.

At a glance

apicutsPortkey
What it isDone-for-you LLM API gateway with cost optimizationAI gateway with observability, guardrails and governance
Price10% of verified savings. No retainerFree developer tier; Production from $49 a month; Enterprise custom
Savings guaranteeAt least 20% lower all-in cost after our fee, or you pay nothingNone
Optimization workDone for you by an optimization engineerTools your team configures
SetupOnboarding call, live in 1 daySelf-serve signup
Best forTeams whose main problem is costTeams whose main problem is governance and visibility

When Portkey is the better fit

When apicuts is the better fit

Can you use both?

Yes. Keep Portkey for governance and observability, and add apicuts as an OpenAI-compatible upstream for the savings.

Frequently asked questions

Is apicuts a Portkey alternative?

For cost, yes. Portkey focuses on governance and observability; apicuts focuses on lowering your bill, with at least 20% guaranteed after our fee.

How much does Portkey cost?

According to its pricing page, there is a free developer tier, a Production plan from $49 a month, and custom enterprise pricing.

Can Portkey and apicuts work together?

Yes. Use apicuts as an OpenAI-compatible upstream behind Portkey.

Portkey details checked on October 30, 2026 from its own website. Prices change, so check their site for current terms.

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