Helicone

Helicone belongs in the trace stack because it combines a practical AI gateway with open-source LLM observability. Official pages highlight one-line logging, request monitoring, cost analytics, user/session analytics, prompts, scores, datasets, webhooks, caching, rate limits, automatic fallbacks, model routing, data export, and self-hosting. It is especially relevant for teams that want provider flexibility and request-level cost visibility without rewriting their AI app.

• AI Gateway plus observability: routing, fallbacks, caching, requests, sessions, and cost analytics.
• Open-source project with self-hosting support and a generous free request tier.
• Strong fit for teams that need quick proxy-style integration across multiple LLM providers.
• Keep in mind: Deep eval governance may still require pairing Helicone with dedicated evaluation workflows or stricter release gates.

• Agent building and orchestration: Helicone applies this capability to AI gateway, LLM monitoring workflows so users can move faster while keeping output quality reviewable.
• Model hosting, evaluation, and deployment: Helicone applies this capability to AI gateway, LLM monitoring workflows so users can move faster while keeping output quality reviewable.
• Workflow automation and integrations: Helicone applies this capability to AI gateway, LLM monitoring workflows so users can move faster while keeping output quality reviewable.
• Datasets, demos, and collaboration: Helicone applies this capability to AI gateway, LLM monitoring workflows so users can move faster while keeping output quality reviewable.
• Monitoring, APIs, and production operations: Helicone applies this capability to AI gateway, LLM monitoring workflows so users can move faster while keeping output quality reviewable.

• Open the official website and create a project, workspace, or organization. Keep a human review step in the workflow for facts, privacy, rights, and brand fit.
• Choose a model, agent template, automation flow, or deployment target. Keep a human review step in the workflow for facts, privacy, rights, and brand fit.
• Connect data sources, tools, APIs, and permissions required by the workflow. Keep a human review step in the workflow for facts, privacy, rights, and brand fit.
• Test with realistic inputs, inspect logs, and refine prompts, tools, or policies. Keep a human review step in the workflow for facts, privacy, rights, and brand fit.
• Deploy, monitor, and iterate as usage patterns and reliability requirements evolve. Keep a human review step in the workflow for facts, privacy, rights, and brand fit.

• Helicone offers a free tier or trial, so you can evaluate it before upgrading.
• Paid plans for Helicone start at about Free / usage-based, with higher tiers unlocking more usage, stronger models, and team features.
• Official pricing includes a free Hobby plan, Pro and Team trials, and usage-based pricing. The pricing calculator example shows 10K requests and 0.30GB storage with an estimated monthly total of $0.97.
• Helicone's cost depends on requests, storage, retention, ingestion, and gateway features; use the calculator for production estimates.
• Pricing last checked 2026-07-08, source: https://www.helicone.ai/pricing. Plans can change, so confirm on the official site.

• Internal workflow automation and operations agents. Helicone can shorten preparation time, create first drafts, or help teams compare options faster.
• AI application prototyping and model experiments. Helicone can shorten preparation time, create first drafts, or help teams compare options faster.
• Model hosting, demos, and API-backed products. Helicone can shorten preparation time, create first drafts, or help teams compare options faster.
• Research pipelines, data processing, and evaluation. Helicone can shorten preparation time, create first drafts, or help teams compare options faster.
• Customer support, sales operations, and knowledge workflows. Helicone can shorten preparation time, create first drafts, or help teams compare options faster.

• AI engineers and platform teams. If AI gateway, LLM monitoring tasks appear often in your work, Helicone can become part of a repeatable productivity workflow.
• Automation builders and operations teams. If AI gateway, LLM monitoring tasks appear often in your work, Helicone can become part of a repeatable productivity workflow.
• Startups building AI-native products. If AI gateway, LLM monitoring tasks appear often in your work, Helicone can become part of a repeatable productivity workflow.
• Researchers and model developers. If AI gateway, LLM monitoring tasks appear often in your work, Helicone can become part of a repeatable productivity workflow.
• Enterprises integrating agents into real workflows. If AI gateway, LLM monitoring tasks appear often in your work, Helicone can become part of a repeatable productivity workflow.