# Groq vs Together AI: which open-weight inference platform wins in 2026?

**Source:** https://promtable.com/compare/groq-vs-together

> Groq wins on inference speed via its LPU architecture. Together AI wins on model catalog breadth and fine-tune-serving. Pick Groq for latency-critical, Together for breadth.

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Groq wins on inference speed via its LPU architecture. Together AI wins on model catalog breadth and fine-tune-serving. Pick Groq for latency-critical, Together for breadth.

## At a glance

| Dimension | Groq | Together AI |
|---|---|---|
| Inference speed | **Industry-leading via LPU hardware** ✓ | Fast, GPU-based |
| Open-weight model catalog | Curated | **Best in the category** ✓ |
| Fine-tune + serve workflow | Limited | **First class** ✓ |
| Free tier | **Generous** ✓ | Decent |
| Pricing per 1M tokens | Competitive at low-medium scale | Aggressive at scale |
| Custom model deployment | Curated only | **Yes — bring your own weights** ✓ |
| Best for | Latency-critical realtime apps | Multi-model serving at scale |

## Verdict

Groq is the right pick for realtime apps where end-to-end latency under 800ms is non-negotiable — its LPU architecture is materially faster than GPU alternatives. Together AI is the right pick for broader open-weight serving, fine-tune-and-serve workflows, and teams that want to host their own weights. Many production stacks use both: Groq for realtime conversation, Together for batch inference and custom models.

## When to pick which

- **Groq** — Realtime voice agents, latency-critical inference, fastest open-weight serving.
- **Together AI** — Broad open-weight catalog, fine-tune + serve, custom model deployment, batch scale.

## FAQ

### Is Groq really faster than other inference platforms?

Yes — Groq's LPU architecture is materially faster than GPU-based competitors for LLM inference in 2026.

### Best for fine-tuned open-weight models?

Together AI — strongest fine-tune + serve story with custom-weight deployment.

### Cheapest at scale?

Together AI tends to be cheaper at multi-billion-token scale; Groq is competitive at low-medium scale plus free tier.

## Related

- [/alternatives/openai-api](https://promtable.com/alternatives/openai-api)
- [/glossary/openrouter](https://promtable.com/glossary/openrouter)
- [/glossary/batched-inference](https://promtable.com/glossary/batched-inference)

*Last updated: 2026-06-01*
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Original page: https://promtable.com/compare/groq-vs-together
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