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Helicone

Free

Self-host / Cloud

Agent MonitoringFreeFree tier
Type
Open Source
Visit Website GitHub (38 stars)

About Helicone

Helicone is an open-source LLM observability platform that provides an AI Gateway for accessing 100+ AI models through a single API key. It enables monitoring, evaluating, and experimenting with LLM applications with one line of code. Key capabilities include intelligent routing and automatic fallbacks, detailed request logging and tracing for agents and chatbots, cost and latency analytics, a playground for prompt testing, version-controlled prompt management, and fine-tuning integration with partners like OpenPipe and Autonomi. It is SOC 2 and GDPR compliant, offers a generous monthly free tier (10k requests/month), and can be self-hosted or used as a cloud service. Helicone is Y Combinator W23.

Key Features

AI Gateway to access 100+ AI models with one API key and intelligent routing
Automatic fallbacks between models
One-line integration for logging from OpenAI, Anthropic, LangChain, Gemini, Vercel AI SDK and more
Observability and tracing for agents, chatbots, and document processing pipelines
Cost, latency, and quality analytics with export to PostHog
Playground for testing prompts, sessions, and traces
Version-controlled prompt management deployable through the gateway
Fine-tuning with partner integrations (OpenPipe, Autonomi)
Self-hosted or cloud deployment options
SOC 2 and GDPR compliant

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Open source with self-hosting option
  • Supports over 100 AI models through a single API
  • Quick integration with one line of code
  • Generous free tier available
  • Enterprise-grade compliance (SOC 2, GDPR)
  • Built-in routing and fallback logic
Cons
  • Cloud version requires account setup and API key
  • Self-hosting may require technical infrastructure management

Best For

Monitoring and debugging LLM applicationsOptimizing costs and latency across multiple modelsManaging prompt versions and deploying them without code changesBuilding and evaluating AI agents and chatbotsFine-tuning models using production dataExperimenting with different models and prompt configurations

Alternatives to Helicone

Honeycomb AI

Observability platform with AI-powered debugging for LLM apps

Datadog LLM Observability

End-to-end LLM monitoring integrated with Datadog APM

FAQ

What is Helicone?
Helicone is an open-source LLM observability platform and AI Gateway that lets you access 100+ AI models with a single API key, monitor requests, and manage prompts.
How do I get started?
Sign up at helicone.ai to get your API key, then update your base URL to https://ai-gateway.helicone.ai and add your API key to start logging requests.
Is there a free tier?
Yes, Helicone offers a generous monthly free tier (10k requests/month) with no credit card required.
Can I self-host Helicone?
Yes, Helicone is open source and can be self-hosted.
What models does Helicone support?
Helicone supports 100+ models including OpenAI, Anthropic, LangChain, Gemini, and Vercel AI SDK.
Is Helicone compliant with security standards?
Yes, Helicone is SOC 2 and GDPR compliant.