a3m-router vs inference-gateway
Self-hosted LLM gateways compared
a3m-router and inference-gateway both provide an OpenAI-compatible API for sending requests to multiple LLM providers. a3m-router focuses on task-based routing, failover and ensembles, while inference-gateway offers broader provider integration and platform features such as authentication, guardrails and telemetry.
a3m-router: Route LLM Requests Across Models
A3M Router is a TypeScript, self-hosted LLM gateway built around Jev System One single-pass routing. It directs OpenAI-compatible requests to models and providers based on the task, with failover and optional parallel ensembles.
inference-gateway: Unify LLM Providers Behind One API
A Go-based, cloud-native gateway that puts multiple LLM providers behind one OpenAI-compatible API. It supports cloud and self-hosted models, with integrations for MCP, A2A, guardrails and OpenTelemetry.
| a3m-router | inference-gateway | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | TypeScript | Go |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Stars | 17 | 215 |
| Forks | 5 | 48 |
| Last analyzed | Oct 23, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 |
Key differences
- a3m-router is written in TypeScript and uses heuristic or Jev System One routing; inference-gateway is written in Go and selects providers by model name or an explicit provider parameter.
- a3m-router offers semantic caching, conversation memory, failover and parallel ensembles; inference-gateway adds MCP tools, A2A delegation, authentication, guardrails and telemetry.
- a3m-router supports Node.js and Docker; inference-gateway supports containers, a standalone binary and Kubernetes deployment, including a Kubernetes operator.
- a3m-router is MIT-licensed, while inference-gateway is Apache-2.0-licensed.
- a3m-router is a young project with contributions concentrated among nearly all of its two contributors; inference-gateway has contributors beyond its largest contributor.
- a3m-router highlights routing requests by task and comparing providers; inference-gateway emphasizes a shared integration layer for cloud and self-hosted models and platform controls.
Choose a3m-router if you…
- want task-based routing with heuristic or Jev System One modes.
- need provider failover or want to compare multiple providers through parallel ensembles.
- prefer a TypeScript gateway that can run with Node.js or Docker.
Choose inference-gateway if you…
- need a Go gateway that can run as a container, standalone binary or Kubernetes deployment.
- want MCP or A2A integrations, or authentication, guardrails and telemetry alongside model routing.
- plan to expose cloud and self-hosted models through one API and select providers by model name or explicit parameter.
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This comparison is generated with AI from the OSRepos analyses of both projects. Always check each project's repository and documentation before choosing.