What is the difference between Groq and OpenAI?

Groq and OpenAI are both cloud GPU providers offering different pricing models, features, and GPU availability. Use our comparison tool to see real-time pricing and feature differences.

Which is cheaper: Groq or OpenAI?

Pricing varies by GPU model and usage requirements. Check our real-time comparison table to find the best deals for your specific needs.

Can I switch between Groq and OpenAI?

Yes, both providers offer flexible cloud GPU services. However, consider factors like data transfer costs, setup time, and specific features when switching between providers.

Loading comparison data...

Loading Comparison

Fetching pricing data and provider information...

Groq vs OpenAI

Compare LLM inference API pricing between Groq and OpenAI. Find the best rates for AI training, inference, and ML workloads.

Groq

Provider 1

Models Available

Visit Website

OpenAI

Provider 2

Models Available

Visit Website

Comparison Overview

Total LLM Models

Groq Models

OpenAI Models

Direct Comparisons

LLM API Pricing Comparison

Total models: 32Both available: 0Groq: 4OpenAI: 28

Showing 15 of 32 models

Prices per 1M tokens · Last updated: 9/9/2026, 11:16:31 AM

Model ↑	Groq	OpenAI	Input Diff ↕
GPT-3.5 Turbo OpenAI	Not available	$0.500 in $1.50 out	—
GPT-4.1 OpenAI	Not available	$2.00 in $8.00 out	—
GPT-4.1 mini OpenAI	Not available	$0.400 in $1.60 out	—
GPT-4.1 nano OpenAI	Not available	$0.100 in $0.400 out	—
GPT-4o OpenAI	Not available	$2.50 in $10.00 out	—
GPT-4o mini OpenAI	Not available	$0.150 in $0.600 out	—
GPT-5 OpenAI	Not available	$1.25 in $10.00 out	—
GPT-5 mini OpenAI	Not available	$0.250 in $2.00 out	—
GPT-5 Nano OpenAI	Not available	$0.050 in $0.400 out	—
GPT-5 Pro OpenAI	Not available	$15.00 in $120.00 out	—
GPT-5.1 OpenAI	Not available	$1.25 in $10.00 out	—
GPT-5.2 OpenAI	Not available	$1.75 in $14.00 out	—
GPT-5.2 Pro OpenAI	Not available	$21.00 in $168.00 out	—
GPT-5.4 OpenAI	Not available	$2.50 in $15.00 out	—
GPT-5.4 Mini OpenAI	Not available	$0.750 in $4.50 out	—

Features Comparison

Groq

LPU-Powered Inference
Custom Language Processing Units run inference, with 256 LPUs and 128 GB of on-chip SRAM per rack
OpenAI-Compatible API
Drop-in replacement for the OpenAI API at api.groq.com/openai/v1, including a Responses API
Layered Platform
GroqMetal bare-metal infrastructure, GroqCore inference stack, and GroqAssured enterprise governance, each including the layers below
Multimodal Endpoints
Text generation plus speech-to-text, text-to-speech, OCR and image recognition, and content moderation models
Agentic Systems and Built-In Tools
Compound systems that combine models with web search, code execution, remote MCP tools, and Google Workspace connectors
Service Tiers
Performance, flex, and batch processing tiers, plus prompt caching, structured outputs, and LoRA inference

OpenAI

GPT Model Family
Access to GPT-4o, GPT-4o mini, and other frontier language models
Reasoning Models
o1 and o3 series models with advanced reasoning capabilities for complex problems
Multimodal Capabilities
Process text, images, audio, and video inputs with unified models
Function Calling
Structured outputs and tool use for building agents and workflows
Assistants API
Build AI assistants with code interpreter, file search, and custom tools
Fine-Tuning
Customize models on your own data for specialized use cases

Pros & Cons

Groq

Advantages

High published token speeds (500 t/s on GPT-OSS 120B, 1,000 t/s on GPT-OSS 20B)
OpenAI-compatible API for easy integration
Competitive pricing for open-weight models
Free tier available for testing

Considerations

Small model catalog: production text models are limited to OpenAI GPT-OSS
Focus on inference only - no training capabilities
Several models are preview-only and may be discontinued at short notice

OpenAI

Advantages

Industry-leading model performance and accuracy
Extensive training data providing unmatched breadth across languages and domains
Developer-friendly SDKs for Python, JavaScript, and other languages
Comprehensive documentation and large community

Considerations

Higher cost compared to open-source alternatives
Token usage can scale quickly with conversation threads
Data privacy concerns for sensitive applications

Compute Services

Groq

OpenAI

Pricing Options

Groq

Pay-per-token

Token-based pricing with separate input/output rates; audio models are billed per hour and speech models per character

Batch and flex processing

Alternative service tiers for throughput-tolerant or bursty workloads instead of the standard on-demand tier

Enterprise capacity

Dedicated capacity and enterprise-only models quoted through sales

Free tier

Rate-limited free access for development and testing

OpenAI

Pay-per-token

Charged based on tokens processed for both input and output

Batch API

50% discount for asynchronous batch processing

Prompt Caching

Discounts for recently seen input tokens

Getting Started

Groq

Get Started

1
Create an account
Sign up at console.groq.com with email or OAuth
2
Get API key
Generate an API key from the console dashboard
3
Make API calls
Use the OpenAI-compatible endpoint with your preferred model

OpenAI

Get Started

1
Create an account
Sign up at platform.openai.com
2
Generate API key
Create an API key in the dashboard and store it securely
3
Install SDK
Install the OpenAI SDK for Python, JavaScript, or your preferred language
4
Make your first call
Use the SDK to call OpenAI models for text generation or other tasks

Support & Global Availability

Groq

Global Regions

13 data centers across four continents, including sites in the US (Liberty Lake, St Paul, Dallas, Houston), Canada (Kamloops, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Calgary), Finland, the UK, Australia, and Saudi Arabia

Support

Documentation and API reference, developer community, production readiness guides, and enterprise onboarding via sales

OpenAI

Global Regions

Global availability with data residency options in US, Europe, UK, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia, and UAE

Support

Documentation, Help Center, Developer Forum, email support, and enterprise support plans with dedicated account managers