How to Choose an LLM Provider
Rate cards are the start, not the decision. Providers matter on quality, latency, and how easy they make governance.
Step 1 — Match the model to the task
Small models for simple work, big models for complex reasoning.
Benchmark against YOUR tasks, not leaderboards.
Step 2 — Look past the rate card
Latency and reliability affect agent outcomes.
Context windows and rate limits shape the workload.
Step 3 — Check the governance story
What budgets and limits exist natively?
Every provider needs the same money gate — the firewall is provider-agnostic.
Step 4 — Measure with your log
Run the pilot, read the audit log, compare real cost per task.
FAQ
Should I use one provider or many?
Many teams route across providers — that's what gateways are for.
What's the cheapest provider?
Cheapest per token isn't cheapest per task — measure your shape.
Related
Stop the next $12,400 night.
One API call (or MCP tool) in front of every agent transaction — APPROVED, BLOCKED, or FLAGGED, deterministic, ~5 ms, fully logged.
See plans — from $99/mo Try a live check