yangmao.ai · Free API intent page
OpenRouter Free API Guide
OpenRouter has a tracked free API path, with Free models and rate limit notes of 20 RPM.
Quick verdict
- Free API: Free models
- Rate limits: 20 RPM
- Best model starting point: Free Models (多个)
- Mainland China access: proxy/relay likely needed
Provider fit matrix
OpenRouter buyer intent notes
Who should care
Best for model shopping, fallback routing, BYOK-style experimentation, and teams that want many models behind one OpenAI-compatible API.
Decision trigger
Use OpenRouter when model coverage and routing flexibility beat direct-provider simplicity.
Watch out: Compare markups, rate limits, provider routing behavior, and free-model reliability before production.
Production readiness checklist
Python setup snapshot
Start with the smallest possible chat completion, then move the key to your server-side secret manager before production.
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
api_key="your-openrouter-key",
base_url="https://openrouter.ai/api/v1"
)
response = client.chat.completions.create(
model="meta-llama/llama-3.3-70b-instruct:free",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}],
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)cURL smoke test
Use this to verify endpoint, auth header, model name, response shape, and quota before adding SDK abstractions.
curl https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/chat/completions \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENROUTER_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "Free Models (多个)",
"messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello from yangmao.ai"}]
}'Free API and pricing notes
Free models
Some models are completely free, no payment needed
Access and production risk
Relay or proxy may be needed
Requires proxy. Aggregates 400+ models, one key for all.
Decision checklist
Check OpenRouter free credits and rate limits.
Compare same-category providers and Mainland China access needs.
Pick the provider with the clearest no-card/free API path for testing.
OpenRouter production validation table
Use this table before sending real users, scheduled agents, or paid traffic to OpenRouter. The goal is to validate source freshness, quota behavior, regional access, and fallback needs instead of trusting a stale free-credit claim.
Credit-change alerts
Want to know when free credits, pricing, or availability changes? Subscribe first, then compare official providers, API gateways, and alternatives.
Subscribe → Get an OpenLLMAPI key → Compare API gateways →Related internal links
Source snapshot
Data source: yangmao.ai provider YAML tracker plus provider docs reviewed by the daily crawler. Official dashboards can change quota and pricing without notice; verify before production.
- yangmao.ai provider id
- openrouter
- Official source
- https://openrouter.ai
- Last updated
- 2026-06-16
- Free tier
- Varies by model
- API credits
- Free models
- Rate limit
- 20 RPM
- Access note
- Requires proxy. Aggregates 400+ models, one key for all.
FAQ
Does OpenRouter have a free API?
Yes. Current yangmao.ai record: Free models. Rate limit note: 20 RPM.
Is OpenRouter OpenAI-compatible?
The recorded setup uses an OpenAI-compatible pattern or SDK-style call. Validate the latest base URL and model names in OpenRouter docs.
Can I use OpenRouter from mainland China?
OpenRouter may need a proxy or relay from mainland China. Test latency and signup before production.
What should I do when OpenRouter credits run out?
Compare the alternatives below, check /en/free-ai-api/, and shortlist official providers or API gateway options before production.
When is OpenRouter better than a direct provider?
Use OpenRouter when you need fast model switching, fallback coverage, and one compatible endpoint more than lowest direct-provider pricing.