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Gemini API vs OpenAI API

Two model provider options for LLM API. When each fits, what it costs, who moves from one to the other, and what makers who chose it say.

Gemini APIModel providerIn Lovable, Replit
OpenAI APIModel providerllms.txtIn Lovable, Replit
Ask your AI about this, with this page as the source:ChatGPT ↗Claude ↗Perplexity ↗

Which fits you

Choose Gemini API if
  • You want the strongest general models and the widest ecosystem of examples and integrations

Use it whenYou feed in whole documents, video or audio, or want to start without paying.

Trade-offFree-tier prompts may be used to improve Google's products, so paid tier is the one for user data.

Choose OpenAI API if
  • You want the strongest general models and the widest ecosystem of examples and integrations

Use it whenYou want one account that covers text, images, speech and embeddings, with the most examples to copy from.

Trade-offFrequent model and API changes to keep up with, and no option to run its hosted models elsewhere.

At a glance

Gemini APIOpenAI API
Used by99 makers' products · 227 open-source projects734 makers' products · 481 open-source projects
Cost at default usageinput tokens 50 million tokens, output tokens 10 million tokens$28/mo Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite$10/mo GPT-6 Luna
Moved to it on GitHubpull requests since Oct 2024179+ from OpenAI API90+ from Gemini API
Downloads19.2M/wk6.5× vs npm34.1M/wk+61% vs npm
PricingFree tier with rate limits; pay per token. · paid from Pay per tokenPay per token. · paid from Pay per token
Free tierYesNo
Open sourceNoNo
Incidents, 90 daysfrom its status pageno public status feed25+ (4 major)

Cost as you grow

At 1M tokens OpenAI API costs less ($0.20 vs $0.55); and still does at 5B tokens ($1,000 vs $2,750).

$0$100$500$1,000$2,0001510501005001k5k
OpenAI APIGemini APIx: input tokens per month (million tokens), other usage scaled with it · cheapest usable plan at each point, list prices · try your own numbers
The numbers, plan by plan
Input tokens per monthGemini APIOpenAI API
1$0.55 Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite$0.20 GPT-6 Luna
5$2.75 Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite$1.00 GPT-6 Luna
10$5.50 Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite$2.00 GPT-6 Luna
50$28 Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite$10 GPT-6 Luna
100$55 Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite$20 GPT-6 Luna
500$275 Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite$100 GPT-6 Luna
1,000$550 Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite$200 GPT-6 Luna
5,000$2,750 Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite$1,000 GPT-6 Luna

From each vendor's pricing page: Gemini API, OpenAI API.

Who moves from one to the other

Public pull requests on GitHub since Oct 2024 whose title says "Gemini API to OpenAI API" or the reverse — real code changes, by developers in general rather than makers only.

OpenAI API → Gemini API179+ PRs
All matching pull requests on GitHub ↗
Gemini API → OpenAI API90+ PRs
All matching pull requests on GitHub ↗

What makers say

Makers on using it for LLM API, from Product Hunt and Starter Story interviews, each linked to the source. Products with a page of their own and fuller notes first.

On Gemini API
Powers all agent conversations on Konfide. Fast, cost-effective, handles unlimited concurrent chats. Every user message goes through Gemini. Chose it for speed and quality at scale.
Konfide, the makerSep 2026 ↗
Gemini gives us another strong option for routing complex tasks. Fast response times and competitive pricing mean we can offer our customers more flexibility in how their automations run.
Logic, Inc., the makerSep 2026 ↗
Saturn uses Gemini for structured data extraction from Japanese government filings (EDINET, gBizINFO). Best cost-performance ratio for Japanese language processing at scale.
Saturn, the makerSep 2026 ↗
67 more on the Gemini API page →
On OpenAI API
We use GPT-5.6 to power the Basedash AI data analyst. It's incredibly intelligent and, with the right harness, allows us to rank #1 on BI Bench for solving real-world BI scenarios.
Basedash, the makerSep 2026 ↗
Credit where it’s due: OpenAI’s dev tools made it incredibly easy to prototype and test multiple ideas fast. Still unmatched when you need raw speed, documentation, and flexibility.
Calk AI, the makerSep 2026 ↗
Quven writes subtitles from the audio of a film on the machine of the user. The Whisper models, run locally through whisper.cpp, can do it and the audio never leaves that machine.
Quven, the makerOct 2026 ↗
500 more on the OpenAI API page →

Loved and watch-outs

Themes that recur in makers' words and Hacker News comments, each linked to what it summarises.

Gemini API
Most loved
  • It offers some of the best price-to-performance, with fast, cheap Flash models. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
  • A context window of a million tokens or more handles whole codebases and long documents without extra pipelines. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
  • Native multimodal input covers video, screenshots and audio. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
Watch-outs
  • Getting an API key and paying is confusing, with usage tiers and Google Cloud console hoops. HNHN 2HN 3HN 4
  • Models are deprecated abruptly, some without leaving preview or having a replacement. HNHN 2HN 3HN 4
  • Pricing docs are unclear, and new models sometimes launch without listed prices. HNHN 2
On Product Hunt: 4.9★, 167 reviews · mentioned most: fast performance, multimodal capabilities, Google integration · complaints: inconsistent data, hallucinations
OpenAI API
Most loved
  • Its models are strong at code generation, reasoning and creative tasks, often chosen after testing alternatives. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
  • The API is reliable and well-priced as the foundation for production features. PHPH 2PH 3HN
  • Good docs and a smooth developer experience make integration straightforward. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
Watch-outs
  • It cut usage on the $200 Pro plan and changed limits, frustrating paying subscribers. HNHN 2HN 3HN 4
  • Model quality shifts between releases, including a quickly replaced GPT-6 and quietly tweaked reasoning levels. HNHN 2HN 3HN 4
  • Models flag or stop midway on legitimate security work. HNHN 2
On Product Hunt: 5.0★, 860 reviews · mentioned most: AI API, AI productivity boost, fast performance · complaints: AI accuracy issues, AI pricing

Who uses each

Gemini API99 makers' products
1752vc Pitch Deck Analyzer8baseAccorataAgentplace.ioAppear on AIAskiva AIAsmi AIAutomaticallBookmarkjar ®BriefyBuilt for DevsCiro+87 more
OpenAI API734 makers' products
2dto3D8baseAgentplace.ioAgentXAgnost AIAgree.comAI Context FlowAI Form FillAI Game Master- Dungeon RPGAI Santa ClausAI ShadowingAI Test Engineer by BlinqIO+722 more
Used by both — often one replacing the other, or each for a different part of the product
8baseAgentplace.ioAppear on AIAutomaticallCiroDoraverseEddie AIFirstQuadrantGenpiregiselleGoMarbleHuman Behavior

What makers pair each with

With Gemini API
Frontend Framework
Transactional Email
Database
Hosting
With OpenAI API
Frontend Framework
Transactional Email
Hosting
Payments

Neither quite right?

See the whole LLM API decision →
ClaudeModel providerCoding, long documents and agent-style tool use.vs Gemini API →vs OpenAI API →
GroqOpen models, hostedVery low-latency inference on open models, for real-time features.vs Gemini API →vs OpenAI API →
Mistral AIModel providerA European provider whose API covers chat, coding, OCR and speech models.vs Gemini API →vs OpenAI API →
DeepSeekModel providerLow per-token prices on strong reasoning and coding models, with OpenAI- and Anthropic-format endpoints.vs Gemini API →vs OpenAI API →
OpenRouterGateway (many providers, one API)Trying many models from many providers with one API key and one bill, without opening an account at each.
LiteLLMGateway (many providers, one API)Running your own OpenAI-compatible proxy in front of your own provider keys, with retries, routing and per-key budgets.