Tool Comparison

Private AI vs AI Privacy Gateway

Private AI open source alternative — an in-depth comparison to help you choose the right AI data privacy tool for your stack.

TL;DR: Private AI — On-device PII detection and redaction API. AI Privacy Gateway takes a different approach: a standalone proxy that masks PII at the network layer, requiring zero code changes and keeping data 100% local.

About Private AI

Private AI provides an API and SDK for detecting and redacting PII across 50+ entity types, with on-premise deployment options for enterprise customers.

What Private AI Does Well

Strengths

  • 50+ PII entity types
  • Multi-language support
  • On-premise deployment available

Limitations

  • Proprietary — not open source
  • On-premise only on Enterprise plan
  • Heavy resource requirements

Detailed Comparison: Private AI vs AI Privacy Gateway

Dimension Private AI AI Privacy Gateway
Entity Coverage 50+ types 14+ core types, extensible via config
Open Source Proprietary MIT — fully open source
Pricing Free tier limited, Enterprise expensive Free Lite for production, affordable Pro
Deployment SDK integration Proxy — zero code changes needed
License Proprietary MIT Open Source

Why Teams Choose AI Privacy Gateway Over Private AI

1

Zero Code Changes

Unlike Private AI's approach, AI Privacy Gateway works as a network proxy. Deploy the Docker container, change the API base URL — done in 30 seconds.

2

Data Never Leaves Your Infrastructure

All PII masking happens locally. Your data is never sent to a third-party cloud for processing. This is critical for GDPR, HIPAA, and PIPL compliance.

3

MIT Open Source

Full source code available. No vendor lock-in, no per-seat pricing, no usage limits. Deploy anywhere, audit everything.

4

14+ Entity Types

Comprehensive PII detection including phone numbers, emails, ID cards, bank cards, names, addresses, API keys, and Chinese-specific formats.

When Private AI Might Be the Better Choice

No tool is perfect for every situation. Here is when Private AI might make more sense:

However, if you need a self-hosted, open-source, zero-code-change solution that works across all your AI APIs, AI Privacy Gateway is the clear choice.

Try AI Privacy Gateway — Free and Open Source

Deploy in 30 seconds. Compare for yourself.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is AI Privacy Gateway a replacement for Private AI?

It depends on your use case. AI Privacy Gateway is specifically designed for AI API privacy — masking PII before it reaches any LLM provider. If Private AI serves a broader or different purpose, they may be complementary rather than direct replacements.

Can I use both Private AI and AI Privacy Gateway together?

Yes. Many teams use multiple privacy tools for defense-in-depth. AI Privacy Gateway sits at the network layer, so it works alongside any other tool in your stack.

How does the performance compare?

AI Privacy Gateway adds less than 1ms latency per request (Rust-based detection engine). Private AI's performance characteristics depend on its architecture.