Azure OpenAI Service is Microsoft's fully managed, proprietary way to access OpenAI's models (GPT, embeddings, DALL-E, Whisper, and more) with enterprise security and compliance layered on top. It's closed source and ties you to Azure's infrastructure, pricing, and provisioning model.
LiteLLM is an open-source alternative for teams that want a self-hosted gateway to call OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, and 100+ other LLM providers through one unified interface, rather than being locked into a single cloud vendor's API layer.
FAQ
Is there a free, open-source alternative to Azure OpenAI?
Yes. LiteLLM is open source and free to self-host as a gateway layer, though you'll still need API access to whichever underlying model providers you choose to call through it.
What's the best open-source alternative to Azure OpenAI?
LiteLLM is the best open-source option if your goal is a flexible, self-hosted routing layer across multiple LLM providers rather than a single managed cloud service.
What are the top open-source alternatives to Azure OpenAI?
Browse all open-source alternatives to Azure OpenAI above, or explore the full Developer Tools category for more options.