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OpenLIT is an OpenTelemetry-native observability tool with a free, Apache 2.0 self-hosted edition. It tracks LLM requests, tokens, costs and traces, and supports GPU monitoring. Developers on Reddit asked about logs, collected variables and diagnosing GPU failures; an OpenLIT maintainer said logs were not supported at the time and pointed to trace attributes and exceptions. The alternatives below target different gaps: agent evaluation, model routing, self-hosting and voice-agent QA.
01Why people leave OpenLIT
Logs were missing in an early release
In an early Reddit thread, an OpenLIT maintainer said logs were not supported, though request metrics and trace exceptions were available.
Collected data needed clearer documentation
The maintainer described request, token and cost metrics, with more detail in trace attributes and spans; the thread noted missing documentation.
GPU troubleshooting may need more context
A user asked whether OpenLIT could explain a GPU going offline. The thread did not establish that it could diagnose the cause.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Best for model routing
HeliconeHeliconeChoose Helicone if you want LLM routing alongside request-level cost visibility rather than OpenLIT's OpenTelemetry-centered monitoring. It is open source and self-hostable, with a free plan and pricing from $79. Before migrating, ask how its routing and observability fit your existing provider calls and whether your OpenTelemetry traces can be carried over; the migration path is not specified.
Trade-off: Weigh the reported maintenance-mode risk before adopting it.
6.8/10from
$79/mofree plan - Best for agent evaluation
HoneyHiveHoneyHiveHoneyHive is a fit if your main problem is debugging multi-step agents, evaluating changes against datasets or tracking quality in production. Those workflows are more specific than OpenLIT's general OpenTelemetry monitoring. It has a free plan, but pricing for production usage and integration details need confirmation; ask about API and SDK support and expected costs at your traffic level.
Trade-off: Production costs and integration details need confirmation.
7.4/10from
Freefree plan - Best for self-hosting
AgentaAgentaAgenta is worth considering when self-hosting is a requirement and you need an AI coworker platform with integrations for connecting agents to tools. It is open source and self-hostable, with a free plan and pricing from $29. Its developer-interface details are limited, so confirm the API, SDKs and integration behavior before planning a migration from OpenLIT.
Trade-off: Published developer-interface detail is limited.
7.1/10from
$29/mofree plan - Best for voice-agent QA
CovalCovalCoval is the most relevant option if you build voice agents and need to test policy edge cases or compare vendors. That is a narrower job than OpenLIT's LLM, vector database and GPU observability. Pricing starts at $80; check how usage overages affect your expected volume and verify data portability before moving evaluation workflows.
Trade-off: Budget for usage overages and verify portability.
6.8/10from
$80/mo
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 OpenLIT OpenLIT (current) | 7.7 | Free | Yes | Teams already using OpenTelemetry |
| Helicone Helicone | 6.8 | $79/mo | Yes | Teams routing across model providers |
| HoneyHive HoneyHive | 7.4 | Free | Yes | Teams debugging multi-step AI agents |
| Agenta Agenta | 7.1 | $29/mo | Yes | Teams automating work from Slack |
| Coval Coval | 6.8 | $80/mo | No | Teams shipping voice agents |
Questions people ask
Which OpenLIT alternative is open source and self-hostable?
Helicone and Agenta are listed as open source and self-hostable. OpenLIT itself is also open source under the Apache 2.0 licence and can be self-hosted. Compare the deployment requirements and supported interfaces with each vendor before choosing; the available pricing details do not establish total hosting or operating costs.
Which alternative is best for AI agent evaluation?
HoneyHive is aimed at debugging multi-step AI agents, evaluating changes against datasets and monitoring quality across live traffic. Agenta may fit teams connecting agents to tools and needing self-hosting. Confirm API and SDK support, evaluation workflow compatibility and production pricing with the vendor before moving data or tests.
How much do OpenLIT alternatives cost?
The listed starting prices are $29 for Agenta, $79 for Helicone and $80 for Coval; each also has a free plan except Coval. HoneyHive has a free plan, but its production costs need confirmation. Coval users should account for usage overages, and listed starting prices are not estimates of total deployment cost.