OpenRouter
About OpenRouter
OpenRouter is like a universal remote control for AI models. I use it constantly in 5 Day Sprint projects when I want to mix and match different AI models without juggling multiple API keys and pricing plans. It's a game-changer for quickly testing which models work best for different tasks. The real magic is how it lets you switch between models with a single API key. During sprints, I'll use GPT-4 for planning, Claude for coding help, and maybe Gemini for content. OpenRouter handles all the routing and billing in one place. Plus, the pricing is often cheaper than going direct. Quick tip: Start with their usage-based credits instead of subscriptions. This lets you experiment with different models without commitment. I typically grab $10 worth of credits for a sprint week, which is plenty for testing and building.
Key Features
- Single API key for 400+ AI models
- Pay-as-you-go with no subscriptions
- Auto-fallback to available models
- Compatible with OpenAI API format
- Real-time model performance tracking
Pricing Details
Pay-as-you-go credits starting at $10. No subscription needed. Often cheaper than direct model pricing. Volume discounts available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Installation & Setup
Sign up for OpenRouter
Go to openrouter.ai and create an account. You can use Google, GitHub, or MetaMask to sign up quickly.
Add credits to your account
Buy credits (start with $10 for testing). These work across all models. No subscription needed.
Get your API key
Generate an API key from your dashboard. Keep this safe, you'll need it for all requests.
Set up API integration
Ask Claude Code to help set up OpenRouter in your project. It'll configure the client and environment variables.
Claude Code Prompt
Install the OpenRouter client for my project. Set up the environment variables for the API key. Then ask about my specific use case so you can suggest the best models and help configure the API calls for my needs.
Created by
OpenRouter is an independent API service that provides unified access to multiple large language models (LLMs) from various providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. It acts as a routing layer and aggregator for AI model access.