AI has permeated every aspect of our work and entertainment. Whether it's the international giants like OpenAI, Gemini, and Claude, or domestic players like DeepSeek, Zhipu AI, Tongyi Qianwen, and Kimi, major companies offer powerful AI models.
However, a common headache is that each time you want to use a platform's model, you need to register an account and even bind a payment method. Want to use ChatGPT? You need an OpenAI account. Interested in trying Gemini? You need a Google account.
Of course, there are AI aggregation platforms in the market, such as Alibaba Cloud's Bailian and ByteDance's Volcano Ark. But they mainly focus on their own models and lack top international options. While Silicon Flow offers some foreign models, the selection isn't comprehensive, missing popular choices like OpenAI and Claude.
Is there a platform that provides both domestic and international mainstream AI models while being convenient for users in China? The answer is yes—OpenRouter.ai!
Advantages of OpenRouter.ai:
- Direct access in China with stable speed: No special network environment required for smooth usage.
- Comprehensive model selection: Includes mainstream AI models from both domestic and international sources, such as OpenAI, Google, Claude, DeepSeek, Qwen, and more.
- Free quota: Offers daily free request credits, allowing you to easily try out various models.
1. Free Registration and Login
Visit the OpenRouter.ai website: https://openrouter.ai
- If you have a Google account, you can log in directly with it.
- If not, click "Sign up" to register using your email.
After registering, check your email and click the verification link to log in.
2. Create an API Key
After logging in, go to the API key management page: https://openrouter.ai/settings/keys
Click "Create Key" to generate a new API key.
Copy the generated API key and store it securely.
3. Explore Free Models
Visit the OpenRouter.ai models list page: https://openrouter.ai/models
Filter to show all free models as shown below.
You'll see many models marked with (free), all available for free use, including the full-featured DeepSeek:R1.
Free Quota Explanation:
OpenRouter.ai provides each user with 200 free daily request credits.
4. Use OpenRouter.ai as a Replacement for OpenAI
Select a model that interests you and copy the Model Name.
Now, you can use OpenRouter.ai in any application or code that supports the OpenAI API format by configuring:
- API URL:
https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 - API Key (SK): Your previously copied OpenRouter.ai API key
- Model Name: The model name you just copied
5. Special Recommendation: Free Full-Featured DeepSeek-R1
OpenRouter.ai also offers a special model: deepseek/deepseek-r1:free
Visit: https://openrouter.ai/deepseek/deepseek-r1:free
This is a full-featured DeepSeek-R1 reasoning model, completely free to use!
6. Example: Using OpenRouter.ai in pyVideoTrans
Using pyVideoTrans, a video translation software, as an example to demonstrate how to use OpenRouter.ai in a real application:
- Open the software and go to "Menu" -> "OpenAI ChatGPT API".
- In "API URL", enter:
https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 - In "SK", enter your OpenRouter.ai API key.
- In "Fill in all available models", paste the model name you copied.
- Click "Save" to apply the settings.
