SambaCloud
SambaCloud is SambaNova Systems' cloud platform for running open-source large language models at high inference speeds, targeting developers and enterprises that need fast, private AI inference.
Publisher review
SambaCloud is SambaNova Systems' cloud platform for running open-source large language models at high inference speeds, targeting developers and enterprises that need fast, private AI inference. Launched by the Palo Alto-based company founded in 2017, SambaCloud is designed for organizations in regulated industries that require absolute data privacy—the platform never sees or collects user prompts or data. Developers can experiment with models, test prompts, generate API keys, and view usage analytics and billing through the web interface. The platform suits teams building agentic AI systems, coding assistants, or production applications that demand low-latency responses without sending data to third-party servers.
SambaCloud delivers fast inference via SambaNova's custom SN40L RDU chip, which uses a dataflow architecture that achieves 10 kilowatts per rack power consumption. The platform supports dozens of open-source models including DeepSeek-V3.1 (running over 200 tokens per second), DeepSeek-R1, Llama 4 (SambaNova is the official launch partner), Qwen, Gemma, and MiniMax M2.7. It integrates with frameworks like CrewAI, Hugging Face, Cline, and AWS, and offers OpenAI-compatible endpoints—developers can migrate by setting the API key and base URL. SambaCloud servers are located in the U.S. and Japan, ensuring no data is sent to China when using models like DeepSeek.
SambaNova competes directly with NVIDIA in the AI inference hardware market, but SambaCloud differentiates through its absolute data privacy guarantee and specialized chip design. The company has raised over $1.1 billion from investors including SoftBank, BlackRock, and Intel Capital, though its private market valuation dropped from $5 billion in 2021 to approximately $1.6 billion as of December 2025. Intel’s acquisition talks collapsed in late 2025, replaced by a $350 million Series E investment in February 2026. SambaCloud positions itself as a lower-cost alternative to closed-source providers like OpenAI and Anthropic for enterprises that prioritize privacy and open-source flexibility.
The honest trade-offs: SambaCloud's enterprise plan charges a seat fee (around $20 per seat per month) with zero included usage—every token is billed at standard API rates on top, which can lead to unpredictable costs for heavy users. The platform's model selection, while broad, is limited to open-source options; it does not host proprietary models like GPT-4o or Claude Opus. SambaNova's hardware dependency means inference speed gains are tied to the SN40L chip, which may not be available in all regions. The company's financial volatility—valuation drop and collapsed acquisition—raises concerns about long-term platform stability for enterprise commitments.
How it works
-
Fast inference via SN40L chip
Powered by the custom SN40L RDU chip, SambaCloud delivers over 200 tokens per second on DeepSeek-V3.1, with 10 kW per rack power consumption.
-
Absolute data privacy
SambaCloud never sees or collects any user data or prompts, ensuring full data privacy for regulated industries.
-
Broad open-source model support
Supports DeepSeek, Llama (official launch partner for Llama 4), Qwen, Gemma, and MiniMax M2.7 for text, image, and audio processing.
-
Dozens of integrations
Integrates with CrewAI, Hugging Face, Cline, and AWS, plus OpenAI-compatible endpoints for easy migration.
-
Flexible deployment options
Developers can run models on preferred hardware and locations, including on-premises or edge, with servers in the U.S. and Japan.
-
Developer-friendly platform
Web interface for experimenting with models, testing prompts, generating API keys, and viewing usage analytics and billing.
-
Agentic AI capabilities
SN40L chip enables agentic AI systems with fast inference, supporting coding agents and frameworks like CrewAI.
Strengths and trade-offs
Strengths
- Absolute data privacy guarantee: SambaCloud never sees or collects any user prompts or data, a key differentiator for regulated industries.
- Fast inference speeds: DeepSeek-V3.1 runs over 200 tokens per second on the SN40L chip, independently benchmarked by Artificial Analysis.
- Official launch partner for Llama 4, providing early access to Meta's latest open-source model on the platform.
- Energy-efficient hardware: The dataflow architecture consumes 10 kilowatts per rack, reducing power costs compared to NVIDIA GPUs.
Trade-offs
- Enterprise plan charges a seat fee (around $20/seat/month) with zero included usage; every token is billed at API rates, leading to unpredictable costs.
- Model selection limited to open-source options; no support for proprietary models like GPT-4o or Claude Opus.
- Private market valuation dropped from $5 billion in 2021 to approximately $1.6 billion as of December 2025, indicating financial volatility.
- Intel's acquisition talks collapsed in late 2025, replaced by a $350 million investment, raising concerns about long-term strategic stability.
Pricing context
Enterprise plan: ~$20/seat/month (access only), with all usage billed separately at standard API rates. Model-specific pricing per million tokens: DeepSeek-V3.1 $3 input/$4.50 output; DeepSeek-R1-Distill-Llama-70B $0.70/$1.40; Llama-4-Maverick-17B-128E-Instruct $0.63/$1.80; MiniMax-M2.7 $0.60/$2.40; Gemma-3-12b-it $0.35/$0.59.
Getting started with SambaCloud
-
Sign up for SambaCloud
Go to the SambaCloud website and create an account. Provide your email and set a password. Verify your email to activate the account. This gives you access to the web interface for experimenting with models and generating API keys.
-
Generate an API key
Log in to the SambaCloud dashboard. Navigate to the API keys section and click to generate a new key. Copy the key and store it securely. This key authenticates your requests to the inference endpoints.
-
Choose an open-source model
In the dashboard, browse the available models such as DeepSeek-V3.1, Llama 4, or Qwen. Select the model that fits your use case. Note the model ID and its pricing per million tokens to estimate costs.
-
Send a test inference request
Use the OpenAI-compatible endpoint by setting your API key and base URL to api.sambanova.ai. Send a simple prompt using curl or a Python script. Verify the response contains the generated text and check the latency.
-
Monitor usage and billing
Return to the SambaCloud dashboard. View the usage analytics tab to see token counts and API call history. Check the billing section to track costs. Adjust your usage or model selection to stay within budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SambaCloud and how does it work for AI inference?
SambaCloud is SambaNova Systems' cloud platform for running open-source large language models at high inference speeds. It uses the custom SN40L RDU chip with a dataflow architecture, targeting developers and enterprises needing fast, private AI inference without sending data to third parties.
Does SambaCloud guarantee data privacy for users?
Yes, SambaCloud guarantees absolute data privacy—it never sees or collects user prompts or data. This makes it suitable for regulated industries like healthcare and finance. Servers are located in the U.S. and Japan, and no data is sent to China when using models like DeepSeek.
Which open-source models does SambaCloud support?
SambaCloud supports dozens of open-source models including DeepSeek-V3.1, DeepSeek-R1, Llama 4 (SambaNova is the official launch partner), Qwen, Gemma, and MiniMax M2.7. It does not host proprietary models like GPT-4o or Claude Opus, focusing on open-source flexibility.
How fast is inference on SambaCloud for models like DeepSeek?
DeepSeek-V3.1 runs over 200 tokens per second on SambaCloud's SN40L chip, independently benchmarked by Artificial Analysis. The chip's dataflow architecture achieves 10 kilowatts per rack power consumption, enabling low-latency responses for production applications and agentic AI systems.
What is SambaCloud's pricing structure and are there hidden costs?
SambaCloud's enterprise plan charges around $20 per seat per month for access only, with zero included usage. Every token is billed at standard API rates on top, leading to unpredictable costs for heavy users. Model-specific pricing per million tokens varies, like DeepSeek-V3.1 at $3 input and $4.50 output.
Is SambaCloud a financially stable platform for long-term enterprise use?
SambaCloud's parent company SambaNova has raised over $1.1 billion, but its valuation dropped from $5 billion in 2021 to about $1.6 billion as of December 2025. Intel's acquisition talks collapsed in late 2025, replaced by a $350 million investment, raising concerns about long-term stability.
Alternatives
How SambaCloud compares
Direct head-to-head against 2 competitors. Picked by 7wData.
SambaCloud
- Pricing
- Enterprise plan: ~$20/seat/month (access only), with all usage billed separately at standard API rates. Model-specific pricing per million tokens: DeepSeek-V3.1 $3 input/$4.50 output; DeepSeek-R1-Distill-Llama-70B $0.70/$1.40; Llama-4-Maverick-17B-128E-Instruct $0.63/$1.80; MiniMax-M2.7 $0.60/$2.40; Gemma-3-12b-it $0.35/$0.59.
- Target
- SambaCloud is SambaNova Systems' cloud platform for running open-source large language models at high inference speeds, targeting developers and enterprises that need fast, private AI
- Strength
- Absolute data privacy guarantee: SambaCloud never sees or collects any user prompts or data, a key differentiator for regulated industries.
- Watch for
- Enterprise plan charges a seat fee (around $20/seat/month) with zero included usage; every token is billed at API rates, leading to unpredictable costs.
GroqCloud
- Pricing
- Custom pricing for enterprise, competitive with SambaCloud
- Target
- Developers needing ultra-low latency AI inference
- Deployment
- Cloud, on-premises
- Strength
- Specialized Language Processing Unit (LPU) for fast inference
- Watch for
- Limited model support compared to broader ecosystems
Fireworks AI
- Pricing
- Pay-as-you-go, $0.50-$5 per million tokens
- Target
- Developers seeking cost-effective inference for open-source models
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Strength
- Optimized for popular open-source models like Llama and Mistral
- Watch for
- Smaller community and fewer integrations than SambaCloud
User reviews
No user reviews yet. Be the first to write one.
Sources
Reporting on this tool draws on these publicly available sources.