Groq

What is Groq?

Groq is an AI inference cloud built around its own LPU chip, which it now pairs with NVIDIA GPUs in a system it calls LPX. Developers use GroqCloud to call hosted open models through an OpenAI-compatible API, including GPT-OSS 120B and 20B, Llama models, Whisper speech-to-text and Orpheus text-to-speech, with published speeds such as roughly 500 tokens per second for GPT-OSS 120B. The console shows rate limits, usage and billing, and a Models endpoint lists what is currently available. Production models are meant for live traffic, while preview models are for evaluation and may be withdrawn at short notice. There are three plans: Free at $0, a pay-per-token Developer plan with higher limits, Batch and Flex processing and spend limits, and an Enterprise plan with dedicated support, LoRA inference, SSO and SCIM. Per-model prices are listed per million tokens, for example $0.15 input and $0.60 output for GPT OSS 120B.

Use cases

• Call hosted open models through an API
• Transcribe audio with Whisper
• Run batch inference jobs
• Generate speech from text
• Screen prompts with safety models
• Serve production traffic at high speed

Who it's for

• Developers
• Startups
• Enterprise AI teams
• Machine learning engineers

Why use Groq

• Per-token pricing means you pay for usage after the Free tier, with no fixed monthly fee listed.
• Published model speeds help you estimate latency for chat, agent and voice workloads.
• Progressive billing thresholds at $1, $10, $100, $500 and $1,000 limit surprise first invoices.
• Spend limits and a live usage dashboard keep API costs visible.
• Open models like GPT-OSS can be swapped in through a familiar API shape and a Models endpoint.

Groq features

• Hosted open models on LPU hardware
• GPT-OSS, Llama, Whisper and Orpheus models
• Models endpoint listing active model IDs
• Batch processing and Flex service tier
• Spend limits and budget alerts
• Usage dashboard with near real-time tracking
• Audit logs with 7 or 90 day retention
• LoRA inference on the Enterprise plan
• SSO and SCIM on the Enterprise plan
• Rate limits measured in requests, tokens and audio seconds

How to get started with Groq

1. Create a GroqCloud account and generate an API key in the console.
2. Pick a model ID from the Supported Models page or the Models endpoint.
3. Send requests through the Groq SDK or an HTTP client, watching the rate limits for your plan.
4. Add a payment method to upgrade to the Developer plan for higher limits, Batch and Flex processing.
5. Track usage under Dashboard and Usage, and set spend limits to control cost.

Groq limitations

• The Free plan has low rate limits, such as 30 requests per minute on GPT-OSS models
• Preview models may be discontinued at short notice
• Some models list Contact Sales instead of a price
• Rate limits apply per organization rather than per user

Groq pricing

Yes, Groq has a free plan.

Groq plans

• Free

  $0

  • Build and Test on Groq
  • Community Support

• Developer

  Pay per Token

  • Higher Token Limits
  • Chat Support
  • Flex Service Tier
  • Batch Processing
  • Spend Limits
  • Audit Logs (7-Day Retention)

• Enterprise

  Custom

  • Scalable Capacity
  • Dedicated Support
  • LoRA Inference
  • SSO and SCIM
  • Audit Logs (90-Day Retention)

Plans as listed on the official pricing page on 24 Oct 2026. Prices can change and may vary by country or exclude tax. Check the official pricing page.

Groq alternatives

The main Groq alternatives listed on Debuly are Together AI, Fireworks AI, Cerebras, Replicate, OpenRouter and Baseten. The table compares pricing and platforms; order is A–Z.

1. 

   Baseten

   Inference platform for deploying open-source, custom and fine-tuned AI models, with per-token Model APIs and dedicated GPUs.

   Developer platforms
   PaidVisit Baseten (official site)
2. 

   Cerebras

   Inference cloud and API running open models on wafer-scale chips, with a free tier, pay-per-token Developer plan and coding plans.

   Developer platformsCoding
   FreemiumVisit Cerebras (official site)
3. 

   Fireworks AI

   Inference and training platform for open models: pay-per-token serverless APIs, GPU deployments, fine-tuning and reserved capacity.

   Developer platformsCodingAutomation and agents
   PaidVisit Fireworks AI (official site)
4. 

   OpenRouter

   Unified OpenAI-compatible API for 500+ AI models with provider fallbacks, pay-as-you-go credits and a free tier

   Developer platformsChat assistantsAutomation and agents
   FreemiumVisit OpenRouter (official site)
5. 

   Replicate

   Cloud API for running, fine-tuning and deploying open-source and proprietary AI models, billed by compute time or by output.

   Developer platformsImage generationVideo
   PaidVisit Replicate (official site)
6. 

   Together AI

   AI cloud for running open-source models through serverless and batch inference, dedicated endpoints, GPU clusters and fine-tuning.

   Developer platformsCoding
   PaidVisit Together AI (official site)

Groq FAQ

Sources & verification

Facts on this page come from the official sources below, each with the date we read it. Written by Debuly; the vendor did not review this page.

Image credits

• Logo: from groq.com · fetched 23 Oct 2026 · Vendor trademark, used only to identify the product; removed on request
• Cover: none collected yet, so a generated tile is shown.

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