Open-Source vs Proprietary LLMs for Business Use

Proprietary models from major providers typically lead on raw capability and require no infrastructure to run, while open-source models offer more control over data handling and can be self-hosted for sensitive workloads.

Cost also flips depending on volume: proprietary APIs are cheaper at low usage, while self-hosted open-source models can be more economical at very high, sustained volume.

We help clients model both scenarios against their expected usage before committing, since the right answer changes significantly with scale and data sensitivity requirements.