Comparison
Direct provider API vs CachePilot
Provider APIs execute requests. CachePilot adds a consistent governance and evidence layer for the agent workloads responsible for those requests.
| Need | Direct provider API | CachePilot |
|---|---|---|
| Send LLM requests | Yes | Yes |
| Govern output budgets | Manual / application code | Policy-enforced |
| Project-level policy | Limited / manual | Yes |
| Receipt headers | No governance receipt | X-CP-* receipts |
| Cache-aware telemetry | Limited / provider-specific | Normalized request telemetry |
| Observe and govern modes | No | Yes |
| Spend attribution | Requires custom instrumentation | Project, model, route, and request |
| Claude/Fable governance | Application-specific | Native Messages or governed Responses adapter routing |
CachePilot does not replace the model provider. It is a governed proxy in front of provider traffic. You keep your upstream account and key while centralizing budgets, policies, telemetry, attribution, and receipt proof.