Looking for a Bifrost alternative?
Bifrost is a fast, open-source LLM gateway built for routing and performance — but it requires SDK changes, can't intercept IDE AI tools, and wasn't designed for enterprise security and compliance. BastionGate was.
Zero code changes
IT deploys BastionGate as an HTTPS proxy. No SDK to change, no library to manage.
IDE AI coverage
Cursor, Claude Code, Copilot, Windsurf — covered transparently. Bifrost's SDK cannot reach these.
Built for compliance
HIPAA-ready, SOC 2 in progress. OPA-backed policy engine designed for regulated environments.
Feature comparison
How BastionGate and Bifrost differ for enterprise AI security and governance.
| Feature | BastionGateus | Bifrost |
|---|---|---|
Zero code changes Point one endpoint at the gateway. No SDK, no agent, no developer instrumentation. | Change one base URL. Done — no SDK, no library. | Requires changing one line of SDK code per app. Still requires developer touch. |
Covers IDE AI tools Cursor, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf — the highest-risk AI surface in most enterprises. | Transparent HTTPS proxy intercepts all IDE traffic. | SDK-based; cannot intercept IDE AI assistants. |
Real-time inline blocking Requests are stopped before they reach the upstream AI provider. | Block, redact, or flag — enforced at the gateway. | Guardrails block unsafe outputs in real time. |
OPA-backed policy engine Version-controlled, per-tenant, per-project Rego policies. | Open Policy Agent with Git-versioned bundles. | Rule-based governance configuration; no policy engine. |
Per-tenant / per-project policies Different enforcement rules per team, environment, or project. | Full tenant isolation with per-project scoping. | Virtual keys and per-team budgets, but no policy engine. |
Developer-friendly block messages Blocked requests return a clear reason + tip. No silent failures. | Explains what was found, confirms nothing was sent. | No structured developer feedback on policy blocks. |
Shadow AI inventory Every AI tool and provider used by your team tracked automatically. | All traffic through the gateway is attributed. | No shadow AI discovery capability. |
HIPAA & SOC 2 ready Purpose-built for regulated industries. | HIPAA compliant. SOC 2 Type II in progress. | Enterprise governance features; no stated HIPAA compliance. |
Full audit log Every request logged, searchable, and exportable. | Immutable log with CSV/JSON export. | OpenTelemetry observability and built-in dashboard. |
Multi-provider routing Route traffic across multiple LLM providers with automatic failover. | Multi-provider routing in enterprise tier. | Core use case — 1000+ models across 8+ providers. |
✓ full support · — partial / limited · ✕ not supported
Why enterprises choose differently
The differences that matter when your use case is security and compliance — not just LLM routing.
Proxy vs. SDK — a meaningful distinction
Bifrost is deployed by changing one line of code in your application SDK. BastionGate is deployed by IT as a transparent HTTPS proxy. Developers change one base URL in their environment. There's nothing to install in application code, no library to keep updated, and no risk of a developer bypassing it.
IDE AI tools — the gap Bifrost can't close
Cursor, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, and Windsurf are desktop applications, not SDK-wrapped services. No SDK-based gateway can intercept them. BastionGate's proxy architecture does — transparently — covering the highest-risk AI surface in most enterprises today.
Security gateway vs. LLM router
Bifrost is excellent at what it's built for: routing LLM traffic, load balancing across providers, and reducing latency. BastionGate is built for a different job: enterprise security and compliance. OPA-backed policies, HIPAA readiness, shadow AI inventory, and immutable audit logs aren't features Bifrost was designed around.
Compliance from day one, not as an add-on
BastionGate was designed by engineers from healthcare and fintech. HIPAA and SOC 2 requirements shaped the architecture — not the sales sheet. If your deployment touches PHI, PII, or regulated data, a performance-focused LLM router isn't the right starting point.
When Bifrost might still be right
We believe in honest comparisons. Bifrost is a well-built open-source project with genuine strengths. It may be the better fit if:
- Your primary need is LLM routing performance — Bifrost benchmarks extremely fast and supports 1000+ models across 8+ providers.
- You want to optimize costs and latency across providers and are comfortable making SDK-level changes to your applications.
- You're building an LLM-powered application and need provider fallback, semantic caching, and load balancing — not data loss prevention.
- IDE AI tools (Cursor, Claude Code, Copilot) aren't a concern in your environment, or you're not subject to HIPAA/SOC 2 requirements.
See BastionGate in 30 minutes
We'll show you how BastionGate covers your IDE AI tools transparently and walk through policy setup for your environment.
Book a Demo