Groq

active API / developer platform

Groq is an ultra-low-latency inference API for open models (Llama, Mixtral, Gemma); commercial use permitted; data is not used to train base models.

Groq serves open-weight models (Meta Llama, Mixtral, Gemma, Qwen, etc.) on custom LPU hardware for very low latency. API inputs are not used to train the underlying base models. Free tier has rate limits; paid tier offers higher throughput.

Analysis & practical guidance

Groq sells speed, not a model

The mental model that trips people up: Groq does not make the models it serves. It runs open-weight models from Meta, Mistral, Google, Alibaba and others on its own LPU hardware, optimised for extremely low latency. So "using Groq" means using, say, Llama — and Llama's own license governs what you may do with the model and its outputs.

Practical implications

Inputs are not used to train base models — Groq is an inference provider, it has no base model to train.
Because the models are open-weight, the per-model license still applies. Llama's community license, for instance, has its own conditions; read the license of whichever model you call.
Latency is the differentiator. If your product's value depends on instant responses (voice, interactive agents), Groq's speed is hard to match. If you need frontier reasoning quality, the proprietary labs still lead.

When to choose it

Choose Groq when latency is the priority and an open-weight model is good enough. For maximum capability or a single-vendor managed stack, OpenAI or Anthropic are the alternatives.

Basics

slug: groq
type: API / developer platform
status: active
last checked: 2026-04-18
official site: https://groq.com
official docs: https://console.groq.com/docs

Rights

Key	Value	Condition	Source	Checked
`commercial_use_allowed`	yes		Groq Terms of Service	2026-04-18
`training_use_of_input`	no	Groq serves open models; it does not train base models on API inputs.	Groq Terms of Service	2026-04-18