Trust is part of the API surface.
Waterfall is an independently operated LLM router. If you point an agent at it, Waterfall sits in the request path. This page explains what is running, what is logged, what is not ready yet, and what you should not send.
Current trust status
Plain status, no trust theater.
OpenAI-compatible API, free_smart routing, prepaid credits, x402 support, model catalog, strategy docs, API-key file scoping.
Logging policy, privacy cautions, architecture overview, security controls, current limitations.
Bring-your-own provider keys, public routing test cases, named community testimonials with permission, dedicated security contact.
What happens to a request
Waterfall is a routing layer, not a model lab. The service normalizes requests, chooses a provider/model path, records usage, and returns the provider response.
Requests enter through the OpenAI-compatible Waterfall API at https://api.getwaterfall.org/v1. API-key traffic and verified x402 payment traffic are checked before model requests are accepted.
The router evaluates the requested model, routing strategy, tool needs, context size, and cost constraints, then selects a capable provider/model path.
Waterfall forwards the normalized request to the chosen upstream model provider and returns an OpenAI-style response to your client.
Explicit logging and retention policy
These are the practical data categories that matter when you put an API router between an agent and a model provider.
The safe default is to assume prompts and outputs can pass through both Waterfall and the selected upstream provider. Do not put secrets into prompts unless you have verified the whole route.
What not to send
Free access should not require pretending every workload is safe for every route. Some data needs a direct provider contract and compliance review.
Do not send private keys, wallet seed phrases, production credentials, Discord tokens, or customer secrets through any router.
Do not send PHI, legal work product, or regulated data unless you have verified the full provider path and have the agreements you need.
Use privacy-oriented strategies only as routing help. They are not a substitute for a BAA, DPA, SOC 2 report, or enterprise compliance review.
Assume the selected upstream model provider processes your request according to that provider path and its terms.
Security controls
The current focus is basic but important: do not let unauthenticated callers use paid paths, read files, trigger admin tools, or reach internal proxy credentials.
Model, billing, file, performance, and monitoring endpoints are gated by API key, verified x402 payment, or admin token as appropriate.
Uploaded files are owned by the API key that uploaded them; other keys cannot list, read, process, or delete those files.
The LiteLLM proxy is intended to sit behind the Waterfall API and uses a non-default internal token.
The public API is designed for HTTPS access through api.getwaterfall.org, not direct access to internal services.
Security-sensitive admin endpoints are not public product surfaces.
Dependency audits are tracked, with high/critical production issues prioritized over risky framework downgrades.
The catalog stays broad, but strategies stay curated. New models can be listed before they are trusted for a strategy.
free_smart prioritizes free, tool-capable models for agents and high-volume work. Other strategies optimize for context, privacy, voice, embeddings, reranking, safety, or quality.
Waterfall is designed to move toward user-controlled provider credentials for people who want Waterfall routing without handing over provider trust.
Until BYOK is shipped, use Waterfall keys and credits only for workloads that fit this trust model.
Named testimonials will only be published with explicit permission from known community members.
Anonymous reactions are not a substitute for trust. This section will stay empty until there are quotes people are comfortable standing behind.
Who operates Waterfall
Waterfall is a bootstrapped commercial service operated by Julie Bush. The free smart-routing option exists because cheap model access matters, especially for builders who cannot casually burn money on agent experiments.
The business goal is straightforward: offer a useful public router, keep pricing transparent, and make money through efficient routing, caching, and a small markup on paid usage rather than through hidden credit fees.
Waterfall is not a neutral public utility. It is a real commercial API service with a free routing option for public use.
No SOC 2, HIPAA, enterprise SLA, or third-party audit is claimed here. Those will be listed only when they exist.
A dedicated security contact is being set up. Until then, do not post exploit details publicly; use a private channel with Julie or a non-sensitive GitHub issue for coordination.
A good router still needs a good threat model.
If you are using Waterfall for public prompts, coding help, agent experiments, free-model fallback, or cost-aware routing, this trust model may be a reasonable fit. If you are handling secrets, regulated records, unreleased customer data, or production credentials, use a direct provider path until the required controls are in place.