AI has permeated every aspect of our work and entertainment. Whether it's the big three overseas – OpenAI, Gemini, and Claude – or domestic powerhouses like DeepSeek, Zhipu AI, Tongyi Qianwen, and Kimi, various vendors offer powerful AI models.
However, a major headache is that for each platform's model we want to use, we need to register an account and even bind a payment method. Want to use ChatGPT? You need an OpenAI account. Want to experience Gemini? You need a Google account.
Of course, there are 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 international models. Silicon Flux offers some foreign models, but it's not comprehensive and lacks popular choices like OpenAI and Claude.
Is there a platform that offers both mainstream domestic and international AI models and is convenient for users in China to use? The answer is yes, and that is OpenRouter.ai!
Advantages of OpenRouter.ai:
- Direct Access and Stable Speed in China: No special network environment is required for smooth use.
- Comprehensive Models: Covers mainstream AI models at home and abroad, including OpenAI, Google, Claude, Deepseek, Qwen, and more.
- Free Credits: Provides daily free request credits, 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 verification email 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 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 the free models as shown in the figure below.
You will see many models with the (free) label, which are all free to use, including the full-fledged DeepSeek:R1.
Free Credit Description:
OpenRouter.ai provides each user with 200 free request credits per day.
4. Using OpenRouter.ai as an OpenAI Replacement
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 with the Full-Fledged 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-fledged DeepSeek-R1 inference model that is completely free to use!
6. Example: Using OpenRouter.ai in pyVideoTrans
Taking pyVideoTrans, a video translation software, as an example, this demonstrates 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 into "Fill in all available models".
- Click "Save".
