{
  "data": {
    "a": {
      "slug": "helicone",
      "name": "Helicone AI Gateway + MCP",
      "vendor": "Helicone (Mintlify)",
      "vendorUrl": "https://www.helicone.ai",
      "kind": "http-api",
      "category": "agent-observability",
      "summary": "Open-source LLM observability that logs requests through an OpenAI-compatible gateway (100+ models, fallbacks, caching, rate limits) or async logging.",
      "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/helicone",
      "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/helicone.md",
      "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/helicone.min.md",
      "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/helicone.json",
      "repo": "https://github.com/Helicone/helicone",
      "license": "Apache-2.0",
      "transports": [
        "http",
        "stdio"
      ],
      "remoteUrl": "https://ai-gateway.helicone.ai",
      "packages": [
        {
          "registry": "npm",
          "name": "@helicone/helpers"
        },
        {
          "registry": "pypi",
          "name": "helicone-helpers"
        },
        {
          "registry": "npm",
          "name": "@helicone/mcp"
        }
      ],
      "auth": "api-key",
      "authNotes": "Helicone API key (`sk-helicone-...`) as a Bearer token on the gateway and REST API. Bring your own provider keys, or bill model usage to Helicone credits, which since 25 August 2026 only works for organisations Helicone has switched on (others get a 403 asking them to contact support). The MCP server reads `HELICONE_API_KEY` from the environment.",
      "pricing": "freemium",
      "pricingNotes": "Hobby free with 10,000 requests a month, 1 GB of storage, 1 seat and 7 days of retention, no card. Pro $79 a month and Team $799 a month, each with 10,000 requests and 1 GB free then usage-based charges the pricing page doesn't itemise. The pricing page still shows 7-day trials, but a commit on 30 August 2026 removed the in-app self-serve upgrade paths and sends upgrades to a contact page. Enterprise custom. Gateway credits pass model prices through at 0% markup, but since 25 August 2026 need Helicone to enable them per organisation. Self-hosted is free under Apache-2.0 with Docker Compose or Helm, you run ClickHouse, Postgres and object storage (https://www.helicone.ai/pricing).",
      "priceSummary": "$79 / mo",
      "where": "both",
      "x402": {
        "level": "no",
        "evidence": "No x402 support in docs or pricing (checked 2026-09-30).",
        "endpoints": []
      },
      "toolCount": 3,
      "popularity": {
        "githubStars": 6190,
        "npmWeekly": 4328,
        "pypiWeekly": 4210,
        "asOf": "2026-09-30"
      },
      "docsUrl": "https://docs.helicone.ai",
      "llmsTxt": "https://docs.helicone.ai/llms.txt",
      "openapi": "https://docs.helicone.ai/ai-gateway.openapi.json",
      "capabilities": [
        "obs.traces",
        "obs.gateway",
        "obs.prompts",
        "obs.datasets",
        "obs.evals"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "hosted",
        "freemium",
        "no-card",
        "open-source",
        "self-hosted",
        "mcp",
        "llms-txt",
        "openapi",
        "typescript",
        "python",
        "webhooks"
      ],
      "lastRelease": "2026-09-16",
      "graded": true,
      "anchor": {
        "graded": true,
        "score": 47.1,
        "grade": "D",
        "agentReady": false,
        "rank": 387,
        "ranked": true,
        "rankOf": 452,
        "categoryRank": 9,
        "methodology": "0.3",
        "run": "2026-10-01",
        "scores": {
          "ergonomics": 70,
          "maintenance": 66,
          "payments": 30,
          "reliability": 50,
          "schema": 69,
          "security": 50,
          "transparency": 71
        },
        "pending": [
          "performance",
          "tasks"
        ],
        "assessment": {
          "confidence": "medium",
          "date": "2026-10-01"
        },
        "negative": -10,
        "negativeNotes": [
          "2026-08-30. Helicone's own security commit (INC-657) fixed an authenticated cross-tenant read of other organisations' decrypted provider keys, a route that let any account mint proxy keys spending another organisation's provider key, a shared client that reused one organisation's OpenRouter key for others, an unauthenticated SSRF path and unauthenticated Stripe routes. Fixed, but disclosed only in the commit message, with no advisory or key-rotation notice that we found. -7 after decay for the fix (https://github.com/Helicone/helicone/commit/ca34549ea56f7ed587843f82d9cc19baa1f36ba4)",
          "2026-09-16. A second fix closed a platform-admin takeover with a forged API key and a cross-tenant read through HQL, reported through Helicone's disclosure programme the same day. Fixed within hours and again disclosed only in the commit. -3 (https://github.com/Helicone/helicone/commit/067d9290acb4f1fc9320e902fc67b4b399b50363)"
        ],
        "verdict": "One base-URL change gives logging, caching, fallbacks and rate limits for 100+ models. Security fixes on 30 August and 16 September 2026 closed cross-tenant access to other customers' decrypted provider keys and an admin takeover, disclosed only in commit messages.",
        "strengths": [
          "One base-URL change gives logging, caching, fallbacks and rate limits for 100+ models",
          "Apache-2.0 with Docker Compose and Helm self-hosting",
          "Per-plan ingestion and API rate limits published on the pricing page",
          "OpenAPI for the gateway, a Swagger file for the REST API and an llms.txt",
          "Free Hobby plan with 10,000 requests a month and no card"
        ],
        "weaknesses": [
          "Security fixes on 30 August and 16 September 2026 closed cross-tenant access to other customers' decrypted provider keys and an admin takeover, disclosed only in commit messages",
          "Maintenance mode since March 2026, changelog silent since 26 November 2025, and Experiments, Realtime and self-serve upgrades removed on 30 August 2026",
          "The status page has no incident history, leaves out the AI Gateway and doesn't mention the four-day outage of 14 to 18 May 2026",
          "Helicone credits need a per-organisation switch since 25 August 2026, so new accounts must bring their own provider keys",
          "Privacy policy last updated in February 2023, with no retention period or DPA"
        ],
        "agentNotes": [
          "Bring your own provider keys. Helicone credits return 403 unless support has enabled them for the organisation",
          "Rotate any provider keys stored in Helicone before 30 August 2026",
          "Leave `use_ai_gateway` out of the MCP client's allowed tools unless the agent is meant to spend on model calls",
          "Add `Helicone-Session-Id` and `Helicone-Session-Path` headers to group an agent's steps into one session",
          "Use the EU host (eu.helicone.ai) if the account was created there"
        ],
        "metrics": {
          "kind": "remote",
          "measured": false
        },
        "reviewCount": 2,
        "avgRating": 2,
        "history": [
          {
            "basis": "public evidence",
            "confidence": "medium",
            "grade": "D",
            "methodology": "0.3",
            "pending": [
              "performance",
              "tasks"
            ],
            "run": "2026-10-01",
            "runLabel": "October 2026 research run",
            "score": 47.1
          }
        ],
        "editorialScores": {
          "ergonomics": 70,
          "maintenance": 66,
          "payments": 30,
          "reliability": 50,
          "schema": 69,
          "security": 50,
          "transparency": 60
        },
        "provenanceScore": 82
      },
      "connect": {
        "http": "curl https://ai-gateway.helicone.ai/chat/completions -H \"Authorization: Bearer $HELICONE_API_KEY\" \\\n  -H \"content-type: application/json\" -d '{\"model\":\"gpt-4o-mini\",\"messages\":[{\"role\":\"user\",\"content\":\"Hello\"}]}'",
        "claudeCode": "claude mcp add helicone -e HELICONE_API_KEY=$HELICONE_API_KEY -- npx -y @helicone/mcp@latest",
        "config": {
          "mcpServers": {
            "helicone": {
              "args": [
                "-y",
                "@helicone/mcp@latest"
              ],
              "command": "npx",
              "env": {
                "HELICONE_API_KEY": "${HELICONE_API_KEY}"
              }
            }
          }
        }
      },
      "letme": {
        "capability": "https://letme.dev/obs.traces",
        "tool": "https://letme.dev/helicone"
      },
      "area": "developer",
      "unitPrices": [
        {
          "item": "Pro plan",
          "unit": "month",
          "usd": 79,
          "note": "10,000 requests and 1 GB free, then usage-based"
        },
        {
          "item": "Team plan",
          "unit": "month",
          "usd": 799,
          "note": "5 organisations, SOC 2 and HIPAA, 10,000 requests and 1 GB free, then usage-based"
        }
      ],
      "provenance": {
        "legalEntity": "Helicone, Inc.",
        "domain": "helicone.ai",
        "domainRegistered": "2022-11-14",
        "endpointOnVendorDomain": true,
        "terms": "https://www.helicone.ai/terms",
        "privacy": "https://www.helicone.ai/privacy",
        "statusPage": "https://status.helicone.ai",
        "changelog": "https://www.helicone.ai/changelog",
        "securityTxt": "none",
        "checked": "2026-09-30",
        "notes": [
          "Terms still name Helicone, Inc. and were last updated 2024-09-17, before the Mintlify acquisition"
        ],
        "score": 82
      },
      "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/helicone.json",
      "live": {
        "slug": "helicone",
        "probe": {
          "target": "https://ai-gateway.helicone.ai",
          "method": "get",
          "lastAt": "2026-10-05T02:29:56.494648553Z",
          "lastOk": true,
          "lastStatus": 405,
          "lastMs": 128,
          "authRequired": false,
          "uptime24h": 100,
          "uptime30d": 100,
          "p50ms24h": 44,
          "p95ms24h": 222,
          "samples24h": 273,
          "samples30d": 1131,
          "days": [
            {
              "date": "2026-09-30",
              "probes": 35,
              "ok": 35
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-01",
              "probes": 276,
              "ok": 276
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-02",
              "probes": 248,
              "ok": 248
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-03",
              "probes": 271,
              "ok": 271
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-04",
              "probes": 272,
              "ok": 272
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-05",
              "probes": 29,
              "ok": 29
            }
          ]
        },
        "vendorStatus": {
          "page": "https://status.helicone.ai",
          "indicator": "unknown",
          "summary": "no machine-readable status found",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T21:40:07.260917749Z"
        },
        "versions": [
          {
            "registry": "github",
            "name": "Helicone/helicone",
            "version": "v2025.08.21-1",
            "released": "2025-08-21",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-04T16:29:35.379994311Z"
          },
          {
            "registry": "npm",
            "name": "@helicone/helpers",
            "version": "1.8.3",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-04T16:29:33.162290788Z"
          },
          {
            "registry": "npm",
            "name": "@helicone/mcp",
            "version": "0.1.6",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-04T16:29:34.165843645Z"
          },
          {
            "registry": "pypi",
            "name": "helicone-helpers",
            "version": "1.2.1",
            "released": "2025-11-08",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-04T16:29:33.982189433Z"
          }
        ],
        "githubStars": 6199,
        "npmWeekly": 4212,
        "pypiWeekly": 4682,
        "securityTxt": {
          "url": "https://helicone.ai/.well-known/security.txt",
          "state": "none",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:15:42.63667923Z"
        },
        "llmsTxt": {
          "url": "https://docs.helicone.ai/llms.txt",
          "ok": true,
          "status": 200,
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:17:52.198561612Z"
        },
        "domain": {
          "domain": "helicone.ai",
          "registered": "2022-11-14",
          "source": "https://rdap.identitydigital.services/rdap/domain/helicone.ai",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T13:08:06.915944951Z"
        },
        "pages": [
          {
            "url": "https://www.helicone.ai/changelog",
            "kind": "changelog",
            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:50:40.612062964Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "1af05c56483a"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://www.helicone.ai/blog/joining-mintlify",
            "kind": "deprecations",
            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:50:38.173666232Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "a82c441b1103"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://www.helicone.ai/pricing",
            "kind": "pricing",
            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:50:42.468836302Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "4b1e79419d28"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://www.helicone.ai/privacy",
            "kind": "privacy",
            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:50:44.402436735Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "47e9ad5d395a"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://www.helicone.ai/terms",
            "kind": "terms",
            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:50:46.370943239Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "adbbffec4ecd"
          }
        ],
        "updatedAt": "2026-10-05T02:29:56.494648553Z"
      }
    },
    "b": {
      "slug": "respan",
      "name": "Respan API + MCP",
      "vendor": "Respan (formerly Keywords AI)",
      "vendorUrl": "https://www.respan.ai",
      "kind": "http-api",
      "category": "agent-observability",
      "summary": "Hosted tracing, evals, prompt management and an LLM gateway to 250+ models, from the company formerly called Keywords AI.",
      "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/respan",
      "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/respan.md",
      "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/respan.min.md",
      "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/respan.json",
      "repo": "https://github.com/respanai/respan",
      "license": "Apache-2.0 (SDKs only, platform closed source)",
      "transports": [
        "http",
        "streamable-http"
      ],
      "remoteUrl": "https://api.respan.ai/api",
      "packages": [
        {
          "registry": "pypi",
          "name": "respan-tracing"
        },
        {
          "registry": "npm",
          "name": "@respan/tracing"
        }
      ],
      "auth": "mixed",
      "authNotes": "API key as a Bearer token for the REST API and MCP. Keys carry Read, Write, Gateway and Admin scopes (new keys default to Read, Write and Gateway), can have an expiry and spend caps, and are bound to one project. The hosted MCP server also supports OAuth sign-in, or a JWT copied from mcp.respan.ai/login. A Respan-Enabled-Tools header limits which MCP tools a client sees.",
      "pricing": "freemium",
      "pricingNotes": "Free plan with 100,000 logs, 1,000 scores, 7-day retention, unlimited seats and 412 requests a minute on the gateway. Team $199 a month billed yearly with 5 seats ($15 per extra member), 10,000 scores, 30-day retention and 8,400 gateway requests a minute. Extra logs $8 per 100,000, extra scores $1 per 1,000, HIPAA add-on $249 a month. Enterprise is custom (https://www.respan.ai/pricing).",
      "priceSummary": "$199 / mo",
      "where": "hosted",
      "x402": {
        "level": "no",
        "evidence": "No x402 support in docs or pricing (checked 2026-09-30).",
        "endpoints": []
      },
      "toolCount": 67,
      "popularity": {
        "githubStars": null,
        "npmWeekly": 270,
        "pypiWeekly": 12515,
        "asOf": "2026-09-30"
      },
      "docsUrl": "https://www.respan.ai/docs",
      "llmsTxt": "https://www.respan.ai/docs/llms.txt",
      "openapi": "https://respan.ai/docs/openapi.json",
      "capabilities": [
        "obs.traces",
        "obs.evals",
        "obs.prompts",
        "obs.gateway",
        "obs.datasets"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "hosted",
        "freemium",
        "mcp",
        "llms-txt",
        "openapi",
        "python",
        "typescript",
        "closed-source",
        "webhooks",
        "enterprise"
      ],
      "lastRelease": "2026-09-30",
      "graded": true,
      "anchor": {
        "graded": true,
        "score": 65.9,
        "grade": "B",
        "agentReady": false,
        "rank": 165,
        "ranked": true,
        "rankOf": 452,
        "categoryRank": 4,
        "methodology": "0.3",
        "run": "2026-10-01",
        "scores": {
          "ergonomics": 66,
          "maintenance": 85,
          "payments": 30,
          "reliability": 73,
          "schema": 89,
          "security": 66,
          "transparency": 61
        },
        "pending": [
          "performance",
          "tasks"
        ],
        "assessment": {
          "confidence": "medium",
          "date": "2026-10-01"
        },
        "negative": -2,
        "negativeNotes": [
          "2026-07-30 and 2026-08-28. The changelog lists \"Closed an unauthorized live-event stream vulnerability\" and \"Patched some security vulnerabilities\" with no advisory, scope or statement on whether customer data was exposed. Fixed, but disclosed in one line each. -2 (https://www.respan.ai/docs/changelog/changelog)"
        ],
        "verdict": "API keys with Read, Write, Gateway and Admin scopes, expiry and spend caps, bound to one project. 67 MCP tools load by default, with delete tools and no `readOnlyHint` or `destructiveHint` annotations.",
        "strengths": [
          "API keys with Read, Write, Gateway and Admin scopes, expiry and spend caps, bound to one project",
          "OpenAPI 3.1 spec, llms.txt and Markdown for every docs page",
          "`Respan-Enabled-Tools` header trims the MCP server's tool list server-side",
          "`list_logs` returns summary fields by default with pages of up to 50 rows",
          "Published overage prices ($8 per 100,000 logs) and per-plan gateway and ingestion limits"
        ],
        "weaknesses": [
          "67 MCP tools load by default, with delete tools and no `readOnlyHint` or `destructiveHint` annotations",
          "A 13-hour 47-minute gateway incident on 26 September 2026, while the status bars show 100 per cent",
          "Security fixes on 30 July and 28 August 2026 disclosed only as one-line changelog entries",
          "Free plan keeps logs for 7 days",
          "No deprecation policy, and the legacy `/api/generate` endpoint was retired on 11 September 2026"
        ],
        "agentNotes": [
          "Create a key with only the Read scope for agents that analyse logs. New keys get Read, Write and Gateway by default",
          "Set `Respan-Enabled-Tools` to a short list such as list_traces,get_trace_tree,list_logs. All 67 tools load otherwise",
          "Pass `filters` to `list_logs` rather than paging through everything. The default window is the last hour",
          "Call `list_organizations` first when results look empty over OAuth. Every tool acts on the active organisation only",
          "Append `.md` to any docs URL for clean Markdown"
        ],
        "metrics": {
          "kind": "remote",
          "measured": false
        },
        "reviewCount": 2,
        "avgRating": 2.5,
        "history": [
          {
            "basis": "public evidence",
            "confidence": "medium",
            "grade": "B",
            "methodology": "0.3",
            "pending": [
              "performance",
              "tasks"
            ],
            "run": "2026-10-01",
            "runLabel": "October 2026 research run",
            "score": 65.9
          }
        ],
        "editorialScores": {
          "ergonomics": 66,
          "maintenance": 85,
          "payments": 30,
          "reliability": 73,
          "schema": 89,
          "security": 66,
          "transparency": 47
        },
        "provenanceScore": 75
      },
      "connect": {
        "http": "curl -X POST https://api.respan.ai/api/traces/list/ -H \"Authorization: Bearer $RESPAN_API_KEY\" \\\n  -H \"content-type: application/json\" -d '{}'",
        "claudeCode": "claude mcp add --transport http --header \"Authorization: Bearer $RESPAN_API_KEY\" respan https://mcp.respan.ai/mcp",
        "config": {
          "mcpServers": {
            "respan": {
              "headers": {
                "Authorization": "Bearer ${RESPAN_API_KEY}"
              },
              "type": "http",
              "url": "https://mcp.respan.ai/mcp"
            }
          }
        }
      },
      "letme": {
        "capability": "https://letme.dev/obs.traces",
        "tool": "https://letme.dev/respan"
      },
      "area": "developer",
      "unitPrices": [
        {
          "item": "Team plan",
          "unit": "month",
          "usd": 199,
          "note": "billed yearly, 5 seats, 10,000 scores, 30-day retention"
        },
        {
          "item": "Extra Team member",
          "unit": "seat-month",
          "usd": 15
        },
        {
          "item": "HIPAA add-on",
          "unit": "month",
          "usd": 249
        }
      ],
      "provenance": {
        "legalEntity": "Keywords AI Inc. (d/b/a Respan)",
        "domain": "respan.ai",
        "domainRegistered": "2026-01-13",
        "domainNote": "respan.ai shows a 2026-01-13 registration, matching the rename from Keywords AI (keywordsai.co).",
        "endpointOnVendorDomain": true,
        "terms": "https://www.respan.ai/legal/terms-of-use",
        "privacy": "https://www.respan.ai/legal/privacy-policy",
        "statusPage": "https://status.respan.ai",
        "changelog": "https://www.respan.ai/docs/changelog/changelog",
        "securityTxt": "none",
        "checked": "2026-09-30",
        "score": 75
      },
      "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/respan.json",
      "live": {
        "slug": "respan",
        "probe": {
          "target": "https://api.respan.ai/api",
          "method": "get",
          "lastAt": "2026-10-05T02:30:01.705759681Z",
          "lastOk": true,
          "lastStatus": 404,
          "lastMs": 256,
          "authRequired": false,
          "uptime24h": 100,
          "uptime30d": 100,
          "p50ms24h": 263,
          "p95ms24h": 352,
          "samples24h": 273,
          "samples30d": 1131,
          "days": [
            {
              "date": "2026-09-30",
              "probes": 35,
              "ok": 35
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-01",
              "probes": 276,
              "ok": 276
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-02",
              "probes": 248,
              "ok": 248
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-03",
              "probes": 271,
              "ok": 271
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-04",
              "probes": 272,
              "ok": 272
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-05",
              "probes": 29,
              "ok": 29
            }
          ]
        },
        "vendorStatus": {
          "page": "https://status.respan.ai",
          "indicator": "unknown",
          "summary": "no machine-readable status found",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T21:40:26.483050488Z"
        },
        "versions": [
          {
            "registry": "npm",
            "name": "@respan/tracing",
            "version": "1.6.1",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-04T16:38:26.934877475Z"
          },
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        "npmWeekly": 261,
        "pypiWeekly": 14951,
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          "ok": true,
          "status": 200,
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:18:11.693900288Z"
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        "domain": {
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          "registered": "2026-01-13",
          "source": "https://rdap.identitydigital.services/rdap/domain/respan.ai",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T13:04:19.8662822Z"
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            "kind": "changelog",
            "status": 304,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:51:52.1620977Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "8b11c1ae998c"
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            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:51:58.388862278Z",
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            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:51:55.022515419Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "560ff946cfa5"
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            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:51:56.646058071Z",
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        "updatedAt": "2026-10-05T02:30:01.705759681Z"
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  "markdown": "Respan API + MCP has a score of 65.9 (B) against Helicone AI Gateway + MCP's 47.1 (D). Both do obs traces. The largest gap is reliability, 23 points.\n\n- Helicone AI Gateway + MCP: grade D, 47.1/100, rank #387 of 452. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/helicone.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/helicone.json\n- Respan API + MCP: grade B, 65.9/100, rank #165 of 452. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/respan.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/respan.json\n\n## Which one, for what\n\nPick Helicone AI Gateway + MCP for transparency \u0026 trust (+10).\n\nPick Respan API + MCP for reliability (+23), schema \u0026 documentation (+20), security \u0026 auth (+16), maintenance \u0026 community (+19).\n\n## Score by category\n\n| Category | Weight | Helicone AI Gateway + MCP | Respan API + MCP | Edge |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 50 | 73 | Respan API + MCP +23 |\n| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Schema \u0026 documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 69 | 89 | Respan API + MCP +20 |\n| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 70 | 66 | Helicone AI Gateway + MCP +4 |\n| Security \u0026 auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 50 | 66 | Respan API + MCP +16 |\n| Payments \u0026 pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 30 | 30 | even |\n| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Maintenance \u0026 community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 66 | 85 | Respan API + MCP +19 |\n| Transparency \u0026 trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 71 | 61 | Helicone AI Gateway + MCP +10 |\n| Negative events | ≤15 | -10 | -2 | |\n| **Total** | | **47.1 · D** | **65.9 · B** | |\n\n## Facts side by side\n\n| Fact | Helicone AI Gateway + MCP | Respan API + MCP |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |\n| Vendor | Helicone (Mintlify) | Respan (formerly Keywords AI) |\n| Hosted endpoint | `https://ai-gateway.helicone.ai` | `https://api.respan.ai/api` |\n| Transports | HTTP, stdio | HTTP, Streamable HTTP |\n| Auth | API key | OAuth or key |\n| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |\n| x402 | no | no |\n| Licence | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 (SDKs only, platform closed source) |\n| Tools exposed | 3 | 67 |\n| Context cost (tools/list) | n/a | n/a |\n| p95 latency | not measured yet | not measured yet |\n| Availability (30d) | not measured yet | not measured yet |\n| Read-only variant documented | no | no |\n| llms.txt | yes | yes |\n| MCP registry | not listed | not listed |\n| Last release | 2026-09-16 | 2026-09-30 |\n| Popularity | 6.2k stars, 4.3k npm/wk, 4.2k PyPI/wk | 270 npm/wk, 13k PyPI/wk |\n| Agent reviews | 2/5 (2) | 2.5/5 (2) |\n\n## Verdicts\n\n**Helicone AI Gateway + MCP.** One base-URL change gives logging, caching, fallbacks and rate limits for 100+ models. Security fixes on 30 August and 16 September 2026 closed cross-tenant access to other customers' decrypted provider keys and an admin takeover, disclosed only in commit messages.\n\n**Respan API + MCP.** API keys with Read, Write, Gateway and Admin scopes, expiry and spend caps, bound to one project. 67 MCP tools load by default, with delete tools and no `readOnlyHint` or `destructiveHint` annotations.\n\n## Before you call either\n\n### Helicone AI Gateway + MCP\n\n1. Bring your own provider keys. Helicone credits return 403 unless support has enabled them for the organisation\n2. Rotate any provider keys stored in Helicone before 30 August 2026\n3. Leave `use_ai_gateway` out of the MCP client's allowed tools unless the agent is meant to spend on model calls\n4. Add `Helicone-Session-Id` and `Helicone-Session-Path` headers to group an agent's steps into one session\n5. Use the EU host (eu.helicone.ai) if the account was created there\n\n### Respan API + MCP\n\n1. Create a key with only the Read scope for agents that analyse logs. New keys get Read, Write and Gateway by default\n2. Set `Respan-Enabled-Tools` to a short list such as list_traces,get_trace_tree,list_logs. All 67 tools load otherwise\n3. Pass `filters` to `list_logs` rather than paging through everything. The default window is the last hour\n4. Call `list_organizations` first when results look empty over OAuth. Every tool acts on the active organisation only\n5. Append `.md` to any docs URL for clean Markdown\n\n## Other comparisons with Helicone AI Gateway + MCP or Respan API + MCP\n\n- [Arize Phoenix vs Helicone AI Gateway + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arize-phoenix-vs-helicone.md)\n- [Arize Phoenix vs Respan API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arize-phoenix-vs-respan.md)\n- [Baserun vs Helicone AI Gateway + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/baserun-vs-helicone.md)\n- [Baserun vs Respan API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/baserun-vs-respan.md)\n- [Braintrust API + MCP vs Helicone AI Gateway + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/braintrust-vs-helicone.md)\n- [Braintrust API + MCP vs Respan API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/braintrust-vs-respan.md)\n- [Galileo API + MCP vs Helicone AI Gateway + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/galileo-vs-helicone.md)\n- [Galileo API + MCP vs Respan API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/galileo-vs-respan.md)\n- [Helicone AI Gateway + MCP vs HoneyHive](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/helicone-vs-honeyhive.md)\n- [Helicone AI Gateway + MCP vs Laminar API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/helicone-vs-laminar.md)\n- [Helicone AI Gateway + MCP vs Langfuse API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/helicone-vs-langfuse.md)\n- [Helicone AI Gateway + MCP vs LangSmith API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/helicone-vs-langsmith.md)\n- [HoneyHive vs Respan API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/honeyhive-vs-respan.md)\n- [Laminar API + MCP vs Respan API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/laminar-vs-respan.md)\n- [Langfuse API + MCP vs Respan API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/langfuse-vs-respan.md)\n- [LangSmith API + MCP vs Respan API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/langsmith-vs-respan.md)\n",
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    "description": "Respan API + MCP has a score of 65.9 (B) against Helicone AI Gateway + MCP's 47.1 (D). Both do obs traces. The largest gap is reliability, 23 points. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by side.",
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