AI has permeated every aspect of our work and entertainment. Whether it's the big three of OpenAI, Gemini, and Claude abroad, or domestic players like DeepSeek, Zhipu AI, Tongyi Qianwen, and Kimi, various manufacturers offer powerful AI models.
However, one headache is that we need to register an account and even bind a payment method for each platform's model we use. Want to use ChatGPT? You need an OpenAI account. Want to experience Gemini? You need a Google account.
Of course, there are also some AI aggregation platforms on the market, such as Alibaba Cloud's Bailian and ByteDance's Volcano Engine. But they mainly focus on their own models and lack top foreign models. Silicon Flow provides some foreign models, but it is not comprehensive and lacks popular choices such as OpenAI and Claude.
Is there a platform that can provide both domestic and foreign mainstream AI models and is convenient for domestic users? The answer is yes, that is OpenRouter.ai!
OpenRouter.ai advantages:
- Direct access in China, stable speed: No special network environment is required for smooth use.
- Complete models: Includes mainstream AI models at home and abroad, including OpenAI, Google, Claude, Deepseek, Qwen, etc.
- Free quota: Provides a daily free request quota, allowing you to easily experience various models.
1. Free Registration and Login
Visit the OpenRouter.ai official website: https://openrouter.ai
- If you have a Google account, you can log in directly with your Google account.
- If not, click "Sign up" to register with your email.
After registering, open your email and click the link in the email to verify your email, then you can log in.
2. Create API Key
After logging in, go to the API key management page: https://openrouter.ai/settings/keys
Click "Create Key" to create a new API key.
Copy the generated API key and keep it safe.
3. Explore Free Models
Visit the OpenRouter.ai model list page: https://openrouter.ai/models
Filter out all free models as shown below.
You will see many models with the (free) label, which are free to use, including the full version of DeepSeek:R1.
Free Quota Description:
OpenRouter.ai provides each user with a daily free request quota of 200 times.
4. Use OpenRouter.ai to Replace OpenAI
Select a model you are interested in and copy the Model Name.
Now, you can use OpenRouter.ai in any application or code that supports the OpenAI API format in the following ways:
- API Address:
https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 - API Key (SK): The OpenRouter.ai API key you copied earlier
- Model Name: The model name you just copied
5. Special Recommendation: Free Experience of Full Version DeepSeek-R1
OpenRouter.ai also provides a special model: deepseek/deepseek-r1:free
Visit: https://openrouter.ai/deepseek/deepseek-r1:free
This is a full version of the DeepSeek-R1 inference model, which is completely free to call!
6. Example: Using OpenRouter.ai in pyVideoTrans
Taking pyVideoTrans, a video translation software, as an example, demonstrate how to use OpenRouter.ai in a practical application:
- Open the software and go to "Menu" -> "OpenAI ChatGPT API".
- Fill in the "API URL" with:
https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 - Fill in the "SK" with your OpenRouter.ai API key.
- Paste the model name you copied in "Fill in all available models".
- Click "Save".
