AI Gateway tool profile
OpenRouter
A hosted AI gateway that puts 400+ models from 70+ providers behind one OpenAI-compatible API, with pay-per-token pricing via prepaid USD credits, automatic fallback routing, and caching.
- Best for
- Developers and teams who want one API key for many models with hosted reliability, without running or maintaining any gateway infrastructure.
- Starting point
- Pay-as-you-go with prepaid credits (USD); no per-token markup, 5.5% platform fee on credit top-ups.
- Free plan
- Yes — Free tier includes 25+ free models across 4 providers with 50 requests/day; limits scale with...
- Key limitation
- Hosted: requests and metadata pass through OpenRouter's infrastructure
Choose it if
Developers and teams who want one API key for many models with hosted reliability, without running or maintaining any gateway infrastructure.
Avoid it if
- Hosted: requests and metadata pass through OpenRouter's infrastructure
- Credit top-ups carry a 5.5% platform fee
- Free-tier rate limits are account-wide
Free-plan suitability
Free tier includes 25+ free models across 4 providers with 50 requests/day; limits scale with lifetime credits (under $10: 20 RPM/50 RPD; at or over $10: 20 RPM/1000 RPD).
Where it fits
Developers and teams who want one API key for many models with hosted reliability, without running or maintaining any gateway infrastructure.
Pricing note
- Starting point
- Pay-as-you-go with prepaid credits (USD); no per-token markup, 5.5% platform fee on credit top-ups.
- Free plan
- Yes — Free tier includes 25+ free models across 4 providers with 50 requests/day; limits scale with...
Pay-as-you-go with prepaid credits (USD); no per-token markup, 5.5% platform fee on credit top-ups. Free tier: 25+ free models, 4 free providers, 50 requests/day, 20 RPM / 1000 RPD after $10 lifetime credits. BYOK (bring-your-own-key) gets a $25k/mo free allowance on the platform fee. Enterprise: SSO/SAML, SLAs, custom. Verified.
Verify the current plan, credits, output limits, and commercial terms before purchasing.
Estimate your gateway costIs it legit?
Who is behind OpenRouter, where it is based, and what is publicly known about its funding. Company details change — verify on the official site before committing.
- Founded
- 2023
- Headquarters
- United States
Free plan details
Free tier includes 25+ free models across 4 providers with 50 requests/day; limits scale with lifetime credits (under $10: 20 RPM/50 RPD; at or over $10: 20 RPM/1000 RPD).
Trade-offs to check
- Hosted: requests and metadata pass through OpenRouter's infrastructure
- Credit top-ups carry a 5.5% platform fee
- Free-tier rate limits are account-wide
What OpenRouter does
- One OpenAI-compatible endpoint (openrouter.ai/api/v1) to 400+ models
- Pay-per-token with prepaid credits; no inference markup, 5.5% platform fee on top-ups
- Automatic fallback routing and caching
- Remote MCP server at mcp.openrouter.ai/mcp
- Metadata-only logging by default; opt-in prompt logging for a 1% cost discount
Evaluation guide
Step-by-step evaluation guides for OpenRouter — workflow fit, pricing, rights, and a same-input test before paying.
Compare OpenRouter with alternatives
Side-by-side pages that weigh OpenRouter against overlapping tools on the same five fields.
Where OpenRouter appears
Best-of lists and roundups that include OpenRouter.
Official sources
These links are retained beside the catalog record so changing details can be rechecked.