Open-Source LLM API Gateway

One API across OpenAI, Anthropic, open models and self-hosted ones; earn on hosted usage.

In plain English

Programs can talk to many AI services through one switchboard that uses the same style of request as a popular AI service, including services the customer runs on their own computers. The program is shared freely, and the version the seller runs for you has a free level plus paid use, with a charge on top and extras such as usage reports and saved repeat answers. Builders pay so they are not connecting every provider by hand. The AI does most of the work of passing each request to the right service, and it handles billing. The person running it still adds new providers and helps users.

Automation85%

Startup costNot disclosed

Time to first $Not disclosed

Monthly range*$78,764 MRR

$78,764 MRR (Stripe-verified; last sync Sep 2026)

DifficultyHard

SourceTrustMRR — LLM Gateway ↗

Operator: Luca Steeb & Smakosh

Verified

Revenue independently checked: documents reviewed by a publication, or a public dashboard.

TrustMRR Stripe-verified ↗

Not disclosed.

The tool stack

GitHub ↗

Free

OSS distribution

Stripe ↗

2.9% + 30¢

Usage billing

Prices are the vendors' published list prices as researched in Oct 2026 and change often — always check the vendor's pricing page.

Step-by-step setup

Build an OpenAI-compatible proxy routing to many providers, including self-hosted models.
Open-source it; offer a hosted version with a free tier.
Monetize credits/markup and pro features (analytics, caching).
Grow via dev communities.

What's automated vs. the human 15%

The machine does

Routing
Billing
Analytics

You still do

Provider integrations
Support

Overview

One API across OpenAI, Anthropic, open models and self-hosted ones; earn on hosted usage. Operator: Luca Steeb & Smakosh.

Realistic income

Reported: $78,764 MRR (Stripe-verified; last sync Sep 2026). This is one operator’s result and doesn’t predict yours.

Risks

Provider prices and APIs move often. A markup business gets squeezed when a vendor cuts rates or bills you for retries.
You sit between customer keys and their prompts. A leak or an outage ends trust.
Free gateways and the clouds’ own routers compete for the same developers, and hosted usage can stay thin.

*Income figures are illustrative ranges based on public pricing and typical outcomes reported by practitioners, not guarantees. Most new online businesses earn little or nothing at first. Not financial, legal or tax advice.

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