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Vaikora vs LiteLLM
Two open-source AI proxies: OpenAI-compatible routing vs pre-execution policy and audit.
At a glance
| Capability | Vaikora | LiteLLM |
|---|---|---|
| Open-source proxy | MIT-licensed, free forever | MIT-licensed (BerriAI/litellm) |
| LLM provider coverage | OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, OpenRouter + A2A, MCP | 100+ providers, OpenAI-compatible |
| Pre-execution policy enforcement | Deterministic, sub-500ms p95 | Custom guardrails callbacks |
| Cryptographic audit chain | SHA-256, append-only | Audit logs at Enterprise tier |
| Compliance presets | SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, ISO 27001 | Configured per deployment |
| Virtual keys + budget tracking | Via Control Plane | Native, first-class |
| Marketplace distribution | AWS Marketplace + Azure Sentinel | Not listed |
| MCP server | vaikora-guard-mcp (Anthropic registry) | Not published |
| Pricing | Free OSS + quote-based control plane | Free OSS + LiteLLM Enterprise |
How they compare
OpenAI-compatible routing
LiteLLM normalizes 100+ providers behind an OpenAI-compatible API with a Python SDK and a standalone proxy. Virtual keys, budget tracking, and load balancing sit at the proxy layer. Vaikora's gateway covers the major providers plus A2A and MCP, but provider breadth is LiteLLM's primary strength.
Pre-execution policy enforcement
Vaikora's deterministic engine decides ALLOW, LOG, CONSTRAIN, or BLOCK on every proposed action in under 500ms before it executes. LiteLLM enforces through a custom guardrails callback layer; deterministic, audit-oriented decisioning is not the core frame.
Audit chain and compliance presets
Vaikora signs each decision into a SHA-256 append-only chain and ships SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, and ISO 27001 presets. LiteLLM Enterprise adds audit logs, SSO, and JWT auth, but compliance is configured per deployment rather than shipped as named presets.
Developer experience and distribution
LiteLLM's strength is developer ergonomics and the breadth of providers behind one API, distributed via PyPI and GitHub. Vaikora distributes through AWS Marketplace, Azure Sentinel, and the Anthropic MCP registry for regulated buyers. Teams often run LiteLLM for routing with Vaikora in front for enforcement and audit.
Who each is best for
Choose Vaikora when
- Audit-grade SHA-256 receipts are a hard requirement.
- Named SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, or ISO 27001 presets are needed out of the box.
- AWS Marketplace or Azure Sentinel procurement is the preferred path.
- Deterministic pre-execution enforcement matters more than callbacks.
Choose LiteLLM when
- Routing across 100+ providers behind one API is the main job.
- An OpenAI-compatible drop-in proxy is the requirement.
- Native virtual keys and budget tracking are needed.
- Developer-first ergonomics dominate the decision.
See Vaikora enforce policy on your stack
Open-core AI runtime control. Self-host the MIT gateway free, or run the hosted Control Plane.
Get a demo Self-host the gatewayFrequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Vaikora and LiteLLM?
Both are open-source AI proxies. LiteLLM leads on OpenAI-compatible routing across 100+ providers and developer ergonomics. Vaikora adds deterministic pre-execution policy enforcement, a SHA-256 audit chain, and five named compliance presets.
Can I run Vaikora and LiteLLM together?
Yes. A common pattern is LiteLLM for multi-provider routing and virtual keys, with Vaikora in front for pre-execution policy enforcement and the audit chain.
Which has stronger compliance coverage?
Vaikora ships five named compliance presets out of the box. LiteLLM Enterprise adds audit logs, SSO, and JWT auth, but compliance is configured per deployment.
Is Vaikora free?
Yes. The Vaikora gateway is MIT-licensed and free forever. The commercial Control Plane adds the audit chain, compliance presets, and SLA on quote-based pricing.