Decision comparison
Replicate vs Together AI
Replicate is the better choice for multimodal AI workloads combining image, video, audio, and text with per-second billing that rewards bursty usage patterns. Together AI is the better choice for LLM-focused workloads where predictable token-based pricing, dedicated GPU endpoints, and native fine-tuning from $3/M tokens are priorities.
Direct comparison. These are reviewed substitutes bought for the same job, so the differences below are the ones that decide between them.
All 2 are model hosting platforms.
Quick Comparison
| Decision factor | Replicate | Together AI |
|---|---|---|
| Billing Model | Per-second GPU compute pricing from CPU $0.09/hr to H100 $5.49/hr | Token-based serverless pricing from $0.10/M to $2.50/M tokens |
| Primary Focus | Multimodal inference marketplace covering image, video, audio, and language models | LLM inference optimization with dedicated endpoints and fine-tuning infrastructure |
| Fine-tuning | Not a native platform feature; deploy pre-trained or externally fine-tuned models via Cog | Native platform service from $3/M tokens with integrated training-to-serving pipeline |
| Pricing Range | Replicate uses pure pay-as-you-go pricing billed per second of compute. Hardware rates: CPU $0.09/hr, Nvidia T4 $0.81/hr, A100 80GB $5.04/hr, H100 $5.49/hr, 4x H100 $21.96/hr, 8x H100 $43.92/hr. Public models: Flux Schnell $0.003/image, Flux 1.1 Pro $0.04/image, DeepSeek R1 $3.75/1M input tokens. Video: Wan 2.1 480p $0.09/second of video. No subscription required. Enterprise volume discounts via committed spend. | Serverless inference: from $0.10/M tokens (small models) to $2.50/M tokens (large models). Dedicated endpoints: from $0.80/GPU/hour (A100). Fine-tuning: from $3/M tokens. Free tier: $5 in credits. Pay-as-you-go with no minimum. |
| Model Ecosystem | Large community marketplace with diverse models across image, video, audio, and text | Curated selection of popular open-source LLMs optimized for throughput |
| Best For | Teams running multimodal AI workloads with bursty traffic needing per-second billing | Teams focused on LLM workloads needing predictable token-based pricing and fine-tuning |
Replicate
- Billing Model:
- Per-second GPU compute pricing from CPU $0.09/hr to H100 $5.49/hr
- Primary Focus:
- Multimodal inference marketplace covering image, video, audio, and language models
- Fine-tuning:
- Not a native platform feature; deploy pre-trained or externally fine-tuned models via Cog
- Pricing Range:
- Replicate uses pure pay-as-you-go pricing billed per second of compute. Hardware rates: CPU $0.09/hr, Nvidia T4 $0.81/hr, A100 80GB $5.04/hr, H100 $5.49/hr, 4x H100 $21.96/hr, 8x H100 $43.92/hr. Public models: Flux Schnell $0.003/image, Flux 1.1 Pro $0.04/image, DeepSeek R1 $3.75/1M input tokens. Video: Wan 2.1 480p $0.09/second of video. No subscription required. Enterprise volume discounts via committed spend.
- Model Ecosystem:
- Large community marketplace with diverse models across image, video, audio, and text
- Best For:
- Teams running multimodal AI workloads with bursty traffic needing per-second billing
Together AI
- Billing Model:
- Token-based serverless pricing from $0.10/M to $2.50/M tokens
- Primary Focus:
- LLM inference optimization with dedicated endpoints and fine-tuning infrastructure
- Fine-tuning:
- Native platform service from $3/M tokens with integrated training-to-serving pipeline
- Pricing Range:
- Serverless inference: from $0.10/M tokens (small models) to $2.50/M tokens (large models). Dedicated endpoints: from $0.80/GPU/hour (A100). Fine-tuning: from $3/M tokens. Free tier: $5 in credits. Pay-as-you-go with no minimum.
- Model Ecosystem:
- Curated selection of popular open-source LLMs optimized for throughput
- Best For:
- Teams focused on LLM workloads needing predictable token-based pricing and fine-tuning
Public signals
Verified factual signals only. Bars appear only for like-for-like metrics with five weekly assessments for every tool; missing evidence stays explicit. These signals do not establish enterprise adoption, product quality, or total cost.
| Metric | Replicate | Together AI |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub commits, 90d(Developer adoption) | 0 | 360 |
| GitHub stars(Developer adoption) | 598 | 10 |
| Search interest(Market interest) | 1 | 8 |
| Hacker News mentions, 90d(Community interest) | 0 | 3 |
| npm weekly downloads(Developer adoption) | 397.7k | 92.3k |
| PyPI weekly downloads(Developer adoption) | 364.9k | 354.8k |
| Hugging Face downloads(Product adoption) | Not available | 22.2k |
| Hugging Face likes(Product adoption) | Not available | 2.3k |
As of September 21, 2026 — updated weekly.
Health & risk evidence
Observed public-source checks for mapped package versions and repositories.
Replicate
September 21, 2026Package vulnerabilities
npm · replicate@1.4.0 · PyPI · replicate@1.0.7
0 vulnerabilities
across 2 packages
Repository security score
Not available
Together AI
September 21, 2026Package vulnerabilities
PyPI · together@2.35.0 · npm · together-ai@0.55.0
0 vulnerabilities
across 2 packages
Repository security score
Not available
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Replicate | Together AI |
|---|---|---|
| Inference Capabilities | ||
| LLM Inference | Available via API; DeepSeek R1 at $3.75/1M input tokens | Core platform strength with optimized throughput; $0.10-$2.50/M tokens |
| Image Generation | Flux Schnell $0.003/image, Flux 1.1 Pro $0.04/image, SDXL and community models | Not a primary platform capability |
| Video Generation | Wan 2.1 480p at $0.09 per second of video output | Not available as a core offering |
| Audio Models | Whisper, MusicGen, and other community audio models | Not a primary modality |
| Infrastructure & Deployment | ||
| GPU Hardware Options | CPU, T4 ($0.81/hr), A100 ($5.04/hr), H100 ($5.49/hr), multi-GPU up to 8x H100 | A100 and H100 configurations; dedicated from $0.80/GPU/hr |
| Custom Model Deployment | Cog containerization for packaging any ML model as an API | Upload and serve custom models on platform infrastructure |
| Dedicated Endpoints | Hardware-tier selection with per-second billing | Dedicated GPU clusters from $0.80/GPU/hour with guaranteed throughput |
| Auto-scaling | Scales to zero when idle; pay only for active compute seconds | Serverless endpoints auto-scale; dedicated endpoints require provisioning |
| Training & Customization | ||
| Fine-tuning | Not a native platform feature; requires external training and Cog deployment | Native service from $3/M tokens with integrated training pipeline |
| Model Library | Large community marketplace with thousands of public models across modalities | Curated selection of popular open-source LLMs optimized for performance |
| Pricing & Access | ||
| Billing Model | Per-second GPU compute time across all hardware tiers | Per-token for serverless; per-GPU-hour for dedicated endpoints |
| Free Tier | No free credits; pay-per-use from the first API call | $5 in free credits for new accounts |
| Enterprise Options | Volume discounts via committed spend agreements | Custom pricing for high-volume enterprise usage |
Inference Capabilities
LLM Inference
Image Generation
Video Generation
Audio Models
Infrastructure & Deployment
GPU Hardware Options
Custom Model Deployment
Dedicated Endpoints
Auto-scaling
Training & Customization
Fine-tuning
Model Library
Pricing & Access
Billing Model
Free Tier
Enterprise Options
Which to choose
Replicate is the better choice for multimodal AI workloads combining image, video, audio, and text with per-second billing that rewards bursty usage patterns. Together AI is the better choice for LLM-focused workloads where predictable token-based pricing, dedicated GPU endpoints, and native fine-tuning from $3/M tokens are priorities.
Best-fit scenarios
Choose Replicate if:
Choose Replicate for multimodal AI workflows spanning image generation (Flux from $0.003/image), video synthesis, and audio processing. The per-second billing model on hardware from CPU at $0.09/hr to H100 at $5.49/hr is cost-effective for bursty, variable workloads. The Cog packaging system and community model marketplace provide the broadest model diversity of the two platforms.
Choose Together AI if:
Choose Together AI for high-volume LLM inference with predictable costs from $0.10 to $2.50/M tokens, dedicated GPU endpoints from $0.80/GPU/hr for production latency requirements, and native fine-tuning from $3/M tokens. The $5 free credit tier and token-based pricing make it straightforward to evaluate and budget for text generation workloads.
These scenarios reflect the available product evidence. Your requirements, existing stack, and team expertise should guide the final decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Replicate for LLM inference, or is it only for image and video models?
Replicate supports LLM inference alongside its multimodal capabilities. Models like DeepSeek R1 are available at $3.75/1M input tokens. However, Replicate's LLM ecosystem is focused compared to Together AI's curated selection, and the per-second hardware billing model means LLM costs depend on inference speed and GPU selection rather than a flat per-token rate.
How does per-second billing compare to per-token billing for cost predictability?
Per-token billing (Together AI) offers more straightforward cost estimation for text workloads because you can calculate costs directly from prompt and completion token counts. Per-second billing (Replicate) depends on model inference speed, hardware tier, and batching behavior, making budgeting less predictable but potentially more cost-effective for short-running tasks.
Does Together AI support image or video generation like Replicate?
Together AI's platform is built primarily around large language model workloads. It does not position image or video generation as a core capability. Replicate offers dedicated image generation pricing (Flux Schnell at $0.003/image) and video generation (Wan 2.1 at $0.09/second). If multimodal AI is a significant part of your workflow, Replicate provides substantially more breadth.
Which platform is better for fine-tuning custom models?
Together AI has a clear advantage for fine-tuning, offering native support starting at $3/M tokens with an integrated workflow from data upload through training to serving. Replicate does not offer fine-tuning as a built-in feature; you would need to train externally and deploy via Cog.