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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.

Registration and Login

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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

Create API Key

Click "Create Key" to generate a new API key.

Create

Copy the generated API key and store it securely.

Copy API Key

3. Explore Free Models

Visit the OpenRouter.ai models list page: https://openrouter.ai/models

Filter to show all free models as shown below.

Filter Free Models

You'll see many models marked with (free), all available for free use, including the full-featured DeepSeek:R1.

Free Models List

Free Quota Explanation:

OpenRouter.ai provides each user with 200 free daily request credits.

Free Quota

4. Use OpenRouter.ai as a Replacement for OpenAI

Select a model that interests you and copy the Model Name.

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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

OpenRouter.ai also offers a special model: deepseek/deepseek-r1:free

Visit: https://openrouter.ai/deepseek/deepseek-r1:free

DeepSeek-R1

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:

  1. Open the software and go to "Menu" -> "OpenAI ChatGPT API".
  2. In "API URL", enter: https://openrouter.ai/api/v1
  3. In "SK", enter your OpenRouter.ai API key.
  4. In "Fill in all available models", paste the model name you copied.
  5. Click "Save" to apply the settings.

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