Side by side

Bifrost vs Envoy AI Gateway

Both stand on llm gateway software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Bifrost

Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3

Bifrost brings provider access, traffic controls, and observability into one gateway, with a free self-hosted OSS edition. Teams needing enterprise controls should account for custom pricing and the distinct support offering.

Visit Bifrost

Envoy AI Gateway

Free plan APILinuxMac+1

Agent Router provides a unified interface and traffic controls for teams managing AI models and tools. Local use and Kubernetes production deployment have different requirements, so check the listed compatibility versions before deployment.

Visit Envoy AI Gateway

The facts

	Bifrost	Envoy AI Gateway
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Yes	Not published
Runs on	API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows	API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	Free or on request
Plans published	2	1
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	getmaxim.ai	aigateway.envoyproxy.io
On llm gateway software	#1 of 34	#5 of 34

Bifrost: what it does well

Unifies access to 20+ AI providers through one compatible API.
Supports retries, failover, load balancing, and semantic caching.
Virtual keys can control permissions, budgets, rate limits, and routing.
Offers self-hosted deployment options including Docker and Kubernetes.

What to know first

Enterprise pricing is custom and not listed.
Enterprise trial lasts 14 days.
OSS support is documentation, community, and self-management.

Envoy AI Gateway: what it does well

OpenAI-compatible API for models and MCP servers
Includes provider failover and token quotas
MCP gateway supports OAuth authentication
Apache 2.0 licensed
Supports local and Kubernetes deployment

What to know first

Local CLI currently supports only Linux and macOS
Kubernetes deployment requires compatible dependencies

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