Helicone vs nRouter: The Request-Path Test Every LLM Gateway Evaluation Should Run
Helicone vs nRouter: The Request-Path Test Every LLM Gateway Evaluation Should Run Here's a test I now run on every LLM infrastructure evaluation, and it takes about thirty seconds: can it refuse a request? Not log it. Not chart it. Refuse it — before the provider call happens, before a token is billed. Why this test exists Helicone is an observability product. It offers a request-path proxy and…
Testing LLM gateway evaluations should include a request-path test. This test determines if a gateway can refuse a request before a token is billed. Helicone records calls after they occur, while nRouter intercepts requests before any token is billed. If a guardrail lives on the request path, nRouter's inline gateway architecture allows for preflight checks and budget enforcement, returning 402/429 errors before billing occurs.
Plan migrations from Helicone to nRouter involve using a single managed key and a flat 4% platform fee. When assessing gateways, consider features like session replay, HQL trace querying, and BYOK economics. Helicone offers these features on higher-priced plans, while nRouter provides them on every plan with a flat fee. Retention policies vary, with Helicone's Pro plan keeping logs for 30 days, Team for 90 days, and Enterprise unlimited. nRouter maintains a ledgered spend history but lacks a warehouse for detailed review. Lastly, Helicone supports Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) for provider billing, while nRouter does not.
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