Groq
Accelerates AI inference, optimizes speed, scalability, cloud-ready.. [Contact for Pricing]
Last verified:
What is Groq?
Groq is an AI inference platform that delivers fast, low-cost access to large language models through its custom LPU (Language Processing Unit) silicon. The GroqLPU was pioneered in 2016 as the first chip purpose-built for AI inference, focusing on exceptional speed and affordability at scale. GroqCloud is the platform that provides developers with API access to state-of-the-art models including Llama 4, GPT-OSS, Kimi K2, Qwen3, and Whisper for speech-to-text.
Key features include OpenAI-compatible API integration (working in just two lines of code), real-time streaming responses, structured JSON outputs with schema enforcement, prompt caching at half cost, batch processing at 50% discount, web search with citations, code execution, browser automation controlling up to 10 browsers simultaneously, vision capabilities for image processing, and support for LLMs, STT, TTS, and image-to-text models. The platform offers 25+ integrations including CrewAI, LangChain, and Exa.
Groq is designed for developers building AI applications who need fast, reliable inference without compromising performance or budget. It serves conversational agents, content generation tools, voice agents, transcription services, chatbots, coding assistants, visual Q&A applications, agentic systems, and enterprise AI workloads. Customers like McLaren Formula 1 Team use Groq for real-time insights and decision-making.
Groq pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
Groq offers a three-tier system: Free, Developer, and Enterprise. The Free tier has no credit card required, includes access to all models, and is subject to published rate limits (varies per model). Developer tier offers up to 10x rate limits compared to free tier with 25% cost discounts, pay-as-you-go pricing. On-demand pricing per 1M tokens: Llama 3.1 8B ($0.05 input/$0.08 output), Llama 3.3 70B ($0.59/$0.79), GPT-OSS 20B ($0.075/$0.30), GPT-OSS 120B ($0.15/$0.60), Llama 4 Scout ($0.11/$0.34), Llama 4 Maverick ($0.50/$0.77), Qwen3 32B ($0.29/$0.59). Whisper Large v3: $0.111/hour, Whisper Large v3 Turbo: $0.04/hour. Batch API offers 25% cost discount. Tools: Basic Search $5/1000 requests, Advanced Search $8/1000 requests, Visit Website $1/1000 requests, Code Execution $0.18/hour, Browser Automation $0.08/hour.
Groq pros
- Ultra-fast inference speed with 500+ tokens/sec on Llama 3.3 70B
- Custom LPU silicon purpose-built for inference since 2016
- OpenAI-compatible API requiring only two lines of code to migrate
- Generous free tier with access to all models, no credit card required
- Industry-leading low costs with transparent per-token pricing
- Prompt caching works automatically at half the cost
- Batch API processes thousands of requests at 50% cost discount
- Built-in web search with citations and reference sources
- Browser automation controls up to 10 browsers simultaneously
- Structured outputs guarantee JSON Schema compliance without validation
- Streaming responses for real-time user experience
- Async client support for non-blocking API calls
- 25+ integrations including LangChain, CrewAI, and Exa
- Support for multimodal models with vision capabilities
- Spend limits and proactive usage alerts for cost control
- Global LPU-based infrastructure for low-latency local responses
- Remote MCP for connecting to external databases and APIs
Groq cons
- Free tier subject to rate limits (requests/tokens per minute or day)
- Primarily focused on open-source models, limited proprietary options
- Developer tier requires payment information to upgrade from free
- Some advanced models have lower rate limits on free tier
- No dedicated GPU options, LPU-only architecture
- Batch API guaranteed processing time is 24 hours
- Limited context window compared to some competitors (max 328K)
- TTS and ASR pricing per character/hour can add up quickly
Frequently asked questions about Groq
How easy is it to migrate to Groq?
Migrating to Groq is designed to be seamless. You can either use one of their client SDKs (available for Python and other languages), or if you're coming from OpenAI, integrate Groq directly into your codebase with just two lines of code by changing the base_url to https://api.groq.com/openai/v1 and providing your GROQ_API_KEY.
What models does Groq support?
Groq supports a growing array of popular open-source large language models including Llama 3.1 8B, Llama 3.3 70B, Llama 4 Scout, Llama 4 Maverick, GPT-OSS 20B, GPT-OSS 120B, Kimi K2, Qwen3 32B, Gemma 7B, Mixtral 8x7B, and Whisper Large v3 for speech-to-text. They continuously expand their model offerings to include the latest releases and support text-to-text, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and image-to-text models.
Does Groq have a free tier?
Yes! Groq offers a generous free tier that includes access to all of their models with no credit card required. The Free tier lets you use GroqCloud and call supported models, but usage is capped by rate limits (requests/tokens per minute or per day). If you're on the free tier and haven't provided payment information, you won't be charged. The free tier is great for getting started and experimentation but is not unlimited.
How does Groq compare on cost?
Groq offers transparent, industry-leading pricing designed to scale efficiently with usage. They provide exceptional value for the speed and quality received. Pricing is per 1 million tokens with input/output differentiated costs. For example, Llama 3.1 8B costs $0.05/1M input tokens and $0.08/1M output tokens. The Batch API offers 25% cost discount, prompt caching works at half cost, and the Developer tier provides 25% cost discounts with 10x rate limits.
What is the Groq LPU?
The LPU (Language Processing Unit) is Groq's custom silicon chip pioneered in 2016 as the first chip purpose-built for AI inference. Every design choice focuses on keeping intelligence fast and affordable. Unlike competitors that rely on GPUs alone, Groq's edge is their custom LPU silicon. The LPU delivers inference with the speed and cost developers need, running in data centers across the world to provide low-latency responses from the most intelligent models.
What is GroqCloud?
GroqCloud is the platform/console that provides developers with API access to Groq's LPU infrastructure and models. It's described as 'the console' where 'the LPU is the cartridge.' Devs trust GroqCloud for inference that stays smart, fast, and affordable. Through GroqCloud, you get access to state-of-the-art models, 15+ integrations, tool calling, web search, prompt caching, batch workflows, and end-to-end support across the AI stack.
What is the OpenAI compatibility feature?
Groq is OpenAI compatible, meaning it's easy to configure existing applications to use Groq's speed. You can switch in just two lines of code by importing the openai library, creating a client with base_url set to 'https://api.groq.com/openai/v1' and api_key from the GROQ_API_KEY environment variable. This compatibility allows seamless migration from OpenAI without重写ting application logic.
What are the rate limits on Groq?
Rate limits vary by tier and model. The Free tier has lower rate limits subject to published limits (requests/tokens per minute or per day). On the Developer plan, rate limits are significantly higher: for example, Llama 3.1 8B has 250K TPM (tokens per minute) and 1K RPM (requests per minute), Llama 3.3 70B has 300K TPM and 1K RPM, and GPT-OSS 120B has 250K TPM and 1K RPM. The Developer tier offers up to 10x rate limits compared to the free tier.
What is the Batch API?
The Batch API allows efficient parallel processing for high-volume workloads. You can submit thousands of API requests per batch with guaranteed 24-hour processing time at a 25% cost discount compared to synchronous APIs. This is ideal for processing large-scale workloads asynchronously and offers significant cost savings for bulk processing needs.
What built-in tools does Groq offer?
Groq offers several built-in tools including: Web Search (Basic Search at $5/1000 requests, Advanced Search at $8/1000 requests) for accessing real-time web content with citations, Visit Website ($1/1000 requests) for analyzing specific website content, Code Execution ($0.18/hour) for running code, Browser Automation ($0.08/hour) controlling up to 10 browsers simultaneously for parallel web research, and Remote MCP as a universal bridge for connecting to external systems like databases, APIs, and tools.