What is the difference between OpenRouter and SambaNova?

OpenRouter and SambaNova 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: OpenRouter or SambaNova?

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 OpenRouter and SambaNova?

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

OpenRouter vs SambaNova

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

OpenRouter

Provider 1

218

Models Available

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SambaNova

Provider 2

Models Available

Visit Website

Comparison Overview

218

Total LLM Models

218

OpenRouter Models

SambaNova Models

Direct Comparisons

LLM API Pricing Comparison

Total models: 218Both available: 5OpenRouter: 218SambaNova: 5

Showing 15 of 218 models

Prices per 1M tokens · Last updated: 10/3/2026, 9:01:39 PM

Model ↑	OpenRouter	SambaNova	Input Diff ↕
Claude 4 Sonnet Anthropic	$3.00 in $15.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Fable 5 Anthropic	$10.00 in $50.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Fable 5.1 Anthropic	$10.00 in $50.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Haiku 4.5 Anthropic	$1.00 in $5.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Opus 4.1 Anthropic	$15.00 in $75.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Opus 4.5 Anthropic	$5.00 in $25.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Opus 4.6 Anthropic	$5.00 in $25.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Opus 4.7 Anthropic	$5.00 in $25.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Opus 4.8 Anthropic	$5.00 in $25.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Opus 5 Anthropic	$5.00 in $25.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Opus 5.5 Anthropic	$4.00 in $20.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Sonnet 4.5 Anthropic	$3.00 in $15.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Sonnet 4.6 Anthropic	$3.00 in $15.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Sonnet 5 Anthropic	$2.00 in $10.00 out	Not available	—
Claude Sonnet 5.5 Anthropic	$2.00 in $10.00 out	Not available	—

Features Comparison

OpenRouter

Unified Model Access
Single API endpoint for 500+ models from 80+ providers across text, image, video, and audio
Automatic Fallback Routing
Requests automatically route to the best available provider for each model
OpenAI-Compatible API
Drop-in replacement using the OpenAI SDK format
Provider Optimization
Routes to the fastest or cheapest provider based on your preference
Usage-Based Pricing
Pay per token with no minimum commitments or subscriptions
Prompt Caching
Reduced pricing for cached input tokens on supported models

SambaNova

Custom RDU hardware
Models run on SambaNova's own Reconfigurable Dataflow Units rather than GPUs
OpenAI-compatible API
Chat completions for open models such as DeepSeek, Llama, Gemma, MiniMax and gpt-oss
Prompt caching
Cached input tokens billed at a reduced rate on supported models
Commits and credits
Prepaid commitments alongside pay-as-you-go billing

Pros & Cons

OpenRouter

Advantages

Largest selection of models through a single API
Transparent per-token pricing with per-provider comparison for each model
Automatic failover across multiple providers
No vendor lock-in — switch models with a single parameter change

Considerations

Platform fee on pay-as-you-go usage (5.5% Standard, 8% Business)
Latency may be slightly higher due to routing layer
No fine-tuning or custom model training

SambaNova

Advantages

Serves models on non-GPU hardware built for inference
Public per-token rates for every served model
OpenAI-compatible endpoints

Considerations

Small model catalog compared with GPU-based inference providers
Some models are priced above other providers of the same open weights
No GPU rental; inference only

Compute Services

OpenRouter

SambaNova

Pricing Options

OpenRouter

Free

25+ free models from a small set of providers, rate limited, with community support

Standard (pay-as-you-go)

Per-token model pricing plus a 5.5% platform fee, with no subscription

Business (pay-as-you-go)

8% platform fee; adds EU/US in-region routing, workload identity federation, and higher workspace limits

Enterprise

Custom agreements with fee discounts, SSO/SAML, contractual SLAs, invoicing options, and a dedicated support team

Prompt caching

Discounted rates for cached input tokens on supported models (paid plans)

SambaNova

Per token

Input, cached input, and output tokens billed per 1M

Commits

Prepaid usage commitments

Getting Started

OpenRouter

Get Started

1
Create an account
Sign up at openrouter.ai; an organization for your team can be set up later
2
Buy credits
Purchase credits usable with any model or provider (credit card, crypto, and more)
3
Get API key
Create an API key from your dashboard
4
Make API calls
Use OpenAI-compatible endpoints or the OpenRouter Client and Agent SDKs with your key

SambaNova

Get Started

1
Create an account
Sign up on SambaNova Cloud
2
Create an API key
Generate a key in the API Keys page
3
Call the API
Point an OpenAI-compatible client at api.sambanova.ai

Support & Global Availability

OpenRouter

Global Regions

Global — routes to providers across multiple regions for optimal latency

Support

Community support on the Free plan, email support on Standard and Business, dedicated support team on Enterprise; documentation and Discord community

SambaNova

Support

Documentation and the SambaNova Cloud dashboard