What is LLM?
LLM is an open source CLI utility and Python library for interacting with Large Language Models. It supports OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, Qwen, Gemma, Kimi, DeepSeek, Mistral and dozens of other models, through remote APIs or models installed and run on your own machine. Plugins add support for providers such as Gemini, Anthropic and Ollama, and any OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions endpoint can be used, for example LM Studio.
From the terminal you can run prompts, start interactive chats with llm chat, attach images, audio or video, pass system prompts and files, and store prompts and responses in SQLite. The tool also generates and stores embeddings, extracts structured data from text and images, and lets models run tools. Installation is done with pip, Homebrew, pipx or uv, and API keys are managed with llm keys set.
Key features
- Run prompts from the command line
- Interactive chat with llm chat
- Store prompts and responses in SQLite
- Generate and store embeddings
- Extract structured content from text and images
- Grant models the ability to execute tools
Who is it for
- developers
- power users of the command line
- researchers working with multiple LLMs
Pros and cons
- Works with many providers and local models through one interface
- Logs prompts and responses to SQLite
- No limitations listed by the vendor.
LLM pricing
The vendor does not publish prices in a readable form (often pricing is shown only after signing in).
Is LLM free?
Yes, there is a free plan. Open source tool installed locally; the cost depends on the API provider or local model you use.
LLM alternatives
| Tool | Price from | Free plan | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
 Arize Phoenix | 50 USD/mo | yes | APIs & models |
 Helicone | 79 USD/mo | yes | APIs & models |
 Together AI | not listed | ? | APIs & models |
 OpenRouter | not listed | yes | APIs & models |
 Groq | not listed | ? | APIs & models |
 Google AI Studio | 0,75 USD | ? | APIs & models |
FAQ
What is LLM used for?
Command-line tool and Python library for running prompts against many LLMs, both remote APIs and local models.
Is LLM free?
Yes, there is a free plan. Open source tool installed locally; the cost depends on the API provider or local model you use.
How much does LLM cost?
The vendor does not publish prices publicly or requires sign-in.
What are the best LLM alternatives?
Closest alternatives: Arize Phoenix, Helicone, Together AI, OpenRouter, Groq.
Data checked October 12, 2026 on the vendor website (llm.datasette.io).