Criterion GroqCloud OpenAI API
CategoryInference & Model HostingLLM APIs & Model Platforms
In one sentenceLow-latency inference API for open models running on Groq's LPU hardware.Pay-per-token developer access to OpenAI's GPT models for building apps, agents and automations.
Problem it solvesGetting fast responses from open models for real-time apps without hosting them.Adding language understanding, generation and reasoning to a product without training or hosting a model yourself.
Free planYesNo
Developer APIYes — docsYes — docs
Open sourceNoNo
PlatformsWeb (Groq console), REST APIWeb (platform dashboard), REST API
Pricing (summary)Free plan with rate limits, then usage-based pricing per 1M tokens on the Developer plan. For example, openai/gpt-oss-120b is $0.15 input / $0.60 output and gpt-oss-20b $0.075 / $0.30; some models are contact-sales.
Checked 2026-10-19		Usage-based billing per 1M tokens, with separate rates for input, cached input and output. GPT-6 Astra costs $10 input / $50 output, GPT-6.1 Sol $2 / $10 and GPT-6 Luna $0.10 / $0.50 per 1M tokens on the Standard tier. Batch and Flex are about half price; Fast mode costs more.
Checked 2026-10-19
Strengths
  • Speed-focused hardware
  • Free entry point
  • Simple per-token prices for gpt-oss models
  • Clear model tiers with published per-token prices
  • Very large context window on current models
  • Multiple cost-saving modes (Batch, Flex, caching)
Limitations
  • Several models list pricing as 'Contact Sales'
  • Free-plan limits not published in docs
  • Preview models may be discontinued at short notice
  • No documented free API tier for the GPT models
  • Costs can grow quickly at the top tier ($50 per 1M output tokens for Astra)
  • Higher pricing applies above 272K input tokens per the pricing page tables