Groq
Groq is a US AI inference company, founded in 2016 by Jonathan Ross, that makes the LPU chip and runs GroqCloud, a developer API for fast model inference. In December 2025 Nvidia signed a non-exclusive licensing agreement for Groq's inference technology, and Groq said it would continue as an independent company. Groq is not the same as xAI's Grok.
Facts checked on against the sources listed at the end of this page.
- Pricing
- Pay as you goFree plan: Yes, with rate limits that vary by model. The paid Developer plan raises them.
- Open source
- NoProprietary
A good fit for
- Apps where response speed matters, such as voice or interactive agents
- Developers who want to run open models through a hosted API
- Teams that want an alternative inference provider to GPU clouds
Not a good fit for
- Training models: it is an inference service
- Running Groq hardware yourself: access is through the hosted service
- Frontier proprietary models: you use the models Groq hosts
Groq pricing
GroqCloud has a free plan with rate limits that vary by model, and a paid Developer plan with higher limits plus Batch and Flex processing. Per-token prices are listed by model on Groq's pricing page.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Limited access with rate limits. |
| Usage based | Per token, by model | See the pricing page for current rates. |
Prices in USD, checked on 6 October 2026. Current prices on groq.com.
Main features
- GroqCloud API
- Developer platform for running models through an API.
- LPU inference
- Runs on Groq's own chips, designed for low-latency inference.
- Pay as you go
- Billed by usage; see the pricing page for current per-token rates.
- Enterprise options
- Contact Groq for dedicated capacity and custom terms.
About Groq
Groq designs the LPU, a chip built for AI inference, and sells access to it. GroqCloud, the developer platform, soft-launched in February 2024. The company describes itself as a neocloud for fast inference.
According to Wikipedia, in December 2025 Nvidia entered a non-exclusive licensing agreement for Groq's inference technology, reported at about $20 billion. It was a licensing arrangement and not an acquisition, and Jonathan Ross and COO Sunny Madra joined Nvidia. Groq said it would keep operating independently, and no GroqCloud closure has been announced.
Groq's homepage says its LPX technology works alongside Nvidia GPUs.
- Made by
- Groq
- Launched
- 2016
- Based in
- Mountain View, California
- Free plan
- Yes, with rate limits that vary by model. The paid Developer plan raises them.
- Available on
- GroqCloud API, LPU hardware
Groq alternatives
Questions about Groq
Did Nvidia acquire Groq?
No. According to Wikipedia, Nvidia signed a non-exclusive licensing agreement for Groq's inference technology in December 2025, and Groq said it would continue as an independent company.
Is Groq the same as Grok?
No. Groq is an inference company and chip maker. Grok is xAI's model.
Does Groq have a free tier?
Yes, GroqCloud offers a free tier with rate limits. Current limits are on the pricing page.
Who founded Groq?
Jonathan Ross founded Groq in 2016. It is based in Mountain View, California.
What is GroqCloud?
Groq's developer platform for running models on its LPU chips through an API. It soft-launched in February 2024.
Sources and links
Work on Groq? Claim this listing. Something wrong or out of date? Suggest a correction. Stats come from the public GitHub and npm APIs and update every day.