Alnair Router,
9Router & OmniRoute.
Three open-source approaches to a self-hosted LLM router and AI API gateway. The useful question is which deployment and routing model fits your stack.
If you're looking for a 9Router or OmniRoute alternative, Alnair focuses on a native Rust binary, an embedded dashboard, and explicit fallback chains. This comparison covers documented behavior, with sources you can inspect.
Documentation checked . Published by the Alnair Router project.
What you install. What you operate.
| Decision | Alnair Router | 9Router | OmniRoute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installation | Native Rust binary, optional npm launcher, and Docker image. | npm CLI, with source and Docker deployment documented. | npm/Bun packages, Docker, and desktop/PWA options. |
| Routing | Model aliases and ordered fallback combos. Failover happens before content is emitted. | Provider connections, model combos, and automatic fallback. | Quota-aware auto-combos and configurable routing strategies. |
| Daily operation | Embedded Vue dashboard, SQLite, per-key controls, and usage-card exports. | Web dashboard with provider and quota tracking. | Web dashboard, with a documented headless server mode. |
| License | MIT | MIT | MIT |
When Alnair fits your stack.
- A native router process.
- The release binary includes its dashboard and uses SQLite storage. It runs without a Node.js runtime. The optional npm package launches the prebuilt binary.
- A route you can explain.
- Prefixes map models to upstream connections. Named combos try entries in your chosen order. A stream that has already emitted content doesn't silently switch providers.
- Usage you can inspect.
- Inspect upstream attempts, token totals, and recorded spend. Give client keys budgets and model allowlists, then export a usage summary from the My Usage page.
Start with your client's API.
Alnair exposes OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions and Responses endpoints, plus Anthropic Messages. Point a client that supports a custom base URL at your router, then choose an alias or combo as the model reference.
Before switching your daily setup, connect the upstream you actually use and try your usual streaming and tool-call requests. Configure the fallback order and key policies around your workload.
Install Alnair Router