Groq vs Together Ai

Groq and Together AI both provide inference for open-source models, but with radically different hardware approaches and feature sets.

Overview

Groq uses custom LPU (Language Processing Unit) hardware to deliver 10-18x faster inference than GPU-based alternatives, focusing on speed above all. Together AI offers GPU-based inference with a wide model selection, fine-tuning capabilities, and competitive pricing.

Key Differences

Speed: Groq's custom hardware delivers dramatically faster inference — tokens stream at 500-1000 tokens/second versus Together's 50-100. For real-time applications, this matters enormously. Model selection: Together AI hosts more models. Groq supports a curated selection optimized for their hardware. Fine-tuning: Together AI supports fine-tuning on their platform. Groq is inference-only with no fine-tuning support. Pricing: Comparable per-token pricing, but Groq's speed means you get results faster (which matters for user-facing applications).

Verdict

Choose Groq when inference speed is critical (real-time voice, interactive chat, latency-sensitive applications). Choose Together AI for broader model selection, fine-tuning capabilities, and when absolute speed isn't the primary concern.