OpenRouter alternative: cheaper Claude and GPT API, prices compared
OpenRouter made it easy to reach many models through one OpenAI-compatible endpoint. If you mostly use Claude, GPT, Grok, Kimi or DeepSeek and your bill keeps growing, a narrower gateway with lower per-token prices can be the better fit. This page puts the numbers side by side so you can decide with real prices instead of marketing claims.
Prices side by side (USD per 1M tokens)
| Model | OpenRouter in / out | apillms in / out |
|---|---|---|
| claude-opus-5-5 | $4.00 / $20.00 | $0.639 / $3.19 |
| claude-opus-5 | $5.00 / $25.00 | $0.76 / $3.80 |
| claude-sonnet-5 | $2.00 / $10.00 | $0.274 / $1.37 |
| claude-haiku-4-5 | $1.00 / $5.00 | $0.137 / $0.684 |
| gpt-6-astra | $10.00 / $50.00 | $1.06 / $5.32 |
| gpt-5.5 | $5.00 / $30.00 | $0.532 / $3.19 |
| gpt-6-sol | $2.00 / $10.00 | $0.213 / $1.06 |
| gpt-6-luna | $0.1 / $0.5 | $0.213 / $1.06 |
| grok-4.7 | $2.00 / $6.00 | $0.213 / $0.639 |
| kimi-k3 | $3.00 / $15.00 | $0.133 / $0.133 |
| deepseek-v4-pro | $0.955 / $1.91 | $0.08 / $0.08 |
| deepseek-v4-flash | $0.14 / $0.28 | $0.047 / $0.047 |
apillms prices on this page update live from our API. OpenRouter prices are a snapshot from openrouter.ai on 29 September 2026 and may have changed since; check their site before deciding.
Read the table model by model. On Claude, GPT-6 Sol, GPT-5.5, Grok, Kimi and DeepSeek the apillms price is lower. On gpt-6-luna OpenRouter's listed price was lower at the time of the snapshot, so if that is your main model, stay where you are for it.
What stays the same when you switch
- The API format. apillms speaks the OpenAI Chat Completions format at
https://apillms.com/v1, the Anthropic Messages format athttps://apillms.com, and the OpenAI Responses format used by Codex. Your SDK calls do not change. - Model ids. Use plain ids such as
claude-sonnet-5ordeepseek-v4-flash, without a vendor prefix. - Streaming, tool calls and prompt caching work on the models that support them.
What is different
- Fewer models. OpenRouter lists hundreds of models; apillms focuses on the ones people use for coding agents and production chat. Check the models page first.
- Prepaid credits. You top up from $5 with PayPal or card. Credits do not expire. There is no monthly subscription.
- Tool presets. The Integrations page generates ready-made setup for Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Cline, OpenCode and n8n with your key filled in.
How to switch in three lines
If your code already points at OpenRouter through the OpenAI SDK, change the base URL, the key and the model id:
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(base_url="https://apillms.com/v1", api_key="YOUR_APILLMS_KEY")
r = client.chat.completions.create(model="claude-sonnet-5",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}])
print(r.choices[0].message.content)
For Node.js the change is the same: new OpenAI({ baseURL: "https://apillms.com/v1", apiKey: process.env.APILLMS_KEY }). Remove the anthropic/ or openai/ prefix from model names.
How to estimate your own saving
Open your OpenRouter activity page and note how many input and output tokens you used last month for each model. Multiply each by the two price columns above. Agent workloads are mostly input (the context is resent on every turn), so the input column usually matters more than the output column. If your tool uses prompt caching, the cache-read price matters most of all; see how prompt caching is billed.
Run a real test before moving everything: new accounts get free credits, enough to send the same few prompts you use daily and compare speed and answers.
When OpenRouter is still the better choice
- You need a model apillms does not carry, or many niche open-source models.
- You rely on OpenRouter-specific routing features such as provider preferences.
- Your main model is cheaper there, as gpt-6-luna was in the snapshot above.
Many teams keep both: one key for the long tail of models and a cheaper key for the two or three models that make up most of the bill. Compare every model on the comparison page.
Try apillms
One API key for Claude, GPT, Grok, DeepSeek and Kimi. OpenAI- and Anthropic-compatible, prompt caching included, pay-as-you-go from $5 with PayPal or card. Credits never expire.
FAQ
Is apillms OpenAI-compatible like OpenRouter?
Yes. Use base URL https://apillms.com/v1 with the OpenAI SDK, or https://apillms.com with the Anthropic SDK.
Do I need to change model names?
Yes, slightly: apillms uses ids without a vendor prefix, for example claude-sonnet-5 instead of anthropic/claude-sonnet-5.
Are the OpenRouter prices on this page current?
They are a snapshot taken on 29 September 2026. apillms prices update live; check openrouter.ai for their current prices.
Is there a subscription?
No. You buy prepaid credits from $5 and they do not expire.