Ficelle
cost
8 posts on this topic.
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Cheapest LLM APIs: compare total workload cost, not token price alone
The cheapest LLM API for your workload depends on output length, retries, rate limits, and reruns, not only the price per million tokens. A worked framework with Groq and Gemini prices.
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Free LLM API keys: legitimate sources, limits, and safe routing
Where to get a free LLM API key from the provider itself, how Groq and Gemini scope their quotas, and how to route free keys without leaks or surprise bills.
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Claude Code free alternatives: what you can replace and what you cannot
A Claude Code free alternative usually means keeping the agent and swapping the model behind it. Here is which coding workloads free models handle, where paid Claude still earns its price, and how to route the difference.
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OpenRouter alternatives: hosted convenience, self-hosting, and strict-zero routing
Compare OpenRouter with a self-hosted gateway like LiteLLM and a local strict-zero router like Ficelle: who holds your keys, where requests go, and what happens when free quota runs out.
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OpenRouter alternatives with free models: compare limits and guarantees
Compare OpenRouter free variants with Groq, Gemini, and Cloudflare Workers AI allowances. Learn what each free model router limits, what runs out first, and what no provider guarantees.
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What is an LLM gateway? Routing, reliability, and cost control
An LLM gateway sits between your code and model providers. Here is a practical map of its five layers (compatibility, routing, health, cost policy, maintenance) and which ones Ficelle actually owns.
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Free LLM APIs for developers without unreliable shortcuts
Choose a free LLM API by its access terms, quota scope, tool support, privacy, and failover options. Provider examples explain what to check.
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Free vs paid LLMs: a 76-task benchmark
We ran 76 real agent tasks through free routing and through GPT-5. On classification, JSON extraction, and reasoning, free was at quality parity. Here is where paying still wins, and how much you save when it does not.
