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The OpenRouter Chat Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about OpenRouter Chat in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPANovember 2026

OpenRouter Chat

The Insider’s Guide

Compare answers from hundreds of AI models in one chat

OpenRouter Chat, as pictured on openrouter.ai

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI assistants, read from OpenRouter Chat’s own pages.

Made by OpenRouter, Inc. · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.0GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from OpenRouter Chat’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on OpenRouter Chat’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

2.0

GPA, above 4 of the 71 other AI assistants we grade

OpenRouter Chat is the browser playground of OpenRouter, a gateway to 600+ models from many providers. You send one prompt to several models and read the answers side by side. The same account also gets API access, with pay-as-you-go credits and a fee when credits are bought.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about OpenRouter Chat, taken from its own pages and our grades.

You pick models, buy credits and manage keys, which is a small learning curve for a chat window.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    Best for comparing many AI models side by side

    OpenRouter's chat page lets you put one prompt to many AI models side by side, with 600+ models behind one account.

  2. 2

    What it costs

    Paid plans start at $0, plus a 5.5% fee when you buy credits on Standard.

  3. 3

    There is a free plan

    Chat and API access to 25+ free models from 4 providers, limited to 50 requests a day.

  4. 4

    It runs on Web

    Web.

  5. 5

    Side-by-side comparison

    Pick several models, send one message to each and read the answers next to each other in the chat playground.

  6. 6

    600+ models

    The paid plans reach 600+ models from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and other providers; the Free plan covers 25+ free models.

  7. 7

    One API

    The API is OpenAI-compatible, so changing the base URL and model names is the migration step OpenRouter describes.

  8. 8

    A 2.0 GPA, above 4 of 71

    That is against the other AI assistants we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  9. 9

    Keep it

    To replace OpenRouter Chat you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

OpenRouter Chat at a glance

Pricing
Free plan, from $0, plus a 5.5% fee when you buy credits on Standard
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
Web
Made by
OpenRouter, Inc., since 2023
Category
AI Assistants
Our grade
2.0 GPA, fair

The report card

Best for comparing many AI models side by side

OpenRouter's chat page lets you put one prompt to many AI models side by side, with 600+ models behind one account. Free use is capped at 50 requests a day on the free models, and paid use adds a fee on top of each provider's list price.

ToolGPA report cardOpenRouter ChatGraded Nov 12, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyCThere is no subscription: you buy credits at each provider's list price plus a 5.5% fee on Standard. That does not map onto the $12 monthly category middle, so it sits mid-pack.
Free plan and trialC25+ free models for chat and API, limited to 50 requests a day and 20 a minute. A negative credit balance blocks them until you add credits.
FeaturesCSide-by-side comparison, routing and fallback, spend controls and one API across 600+ models. The chat page has no memory or file tools, so it is a playground, not a full assistant.
Ease of useCNo store rating on record. You pick models, buy credits and manage keys, which is a small learning curve for a chat window.
Platforms and integrationsCWeb only, with an API that works through the OpenAI SDK. No desktop or phone app is listed.
Grade point averageFair, out of 4.02.0

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who OpenRouter Chat is for

  • Fits if you want to see how several models answer the same prompt
  • Works for developers who want one API in front of many providers

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you want an assistant with memory and file tools, as the chat page has neither
  • Tight if you stay free, with 50 requests a day on free models only
  • Watch out: a 5.5% fee on credit purchases on Standard, and 8% on Business
  • Watch out: a negative credit balance blocks the free models until you add credits

Good to know

Good for

  • People who want to test one prompt against many models
  • Developers who want a single API for many model providers
  • Anyone who prefers paying per use over a monthly subscription

Worth knowing

  • Inference is billed at each provider's list price; OpenRouter's 5.5% (Standard) or 8% (Business) fee applies when credits are bought.
  • Free models are capped at 20 requests a minute and 50 a day, rising to 1,000 a day after $10 of credits are bought.
  • A negative credit balance blocks free models until you add credits.
  • The chat page is not a full assistant with memory or file tools; it is a comparison playground.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$0

To start. There is a free plan too

OpenRouter Chat has a free plan. Paid plans start at $0, plus a 5.5% fee when you buy credits on Standard.

A negative credit balance blocks them until you add credits.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Free

    $0

    25+ free models, chat and API access, activity logs, 5 workspaces and 50 requests a day with community support.

  • Standard

    $0

    pay as you go, with a 5.5% fee on credit purchases

    600+ models across 80+ providers, auto-routing, budgets and spend controls. You buy credits; each request draws them down.

  • Business

    $0

    pay as you go, with an 8% fee on credit purchases

    Everything in Standard plus advanced notifications, EU and US in-region routing and workload identity federation.

  • Enterprise

    Custom

    Priced by contract with fee discounts, SSO/SAML, contractual SLAs and a dedicated support team.

The free plan

Chat and API access to 25+ free models from 4 providers, limited to 50 requests a day.

Read from openrouter.ai on Nov 12, 2026.

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

1

Place it runs: Web

Compare answers from hundreds of AI models in one chat. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, chat assistant.

The chat page has no memory or file tools, so it is a playground, not a full assistant.
From our grade for features
Side-by-side comparison
Pick several models, send one message to each and read the answers next to each other in the chat playground.
600+ models
The paid plans reach 600+ models from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and other providers; the Free plan covers 25+ free models.
One API
The API is OpenAI-compatible, so changing the base URL and model names is the migration step OpenRouter describes.
Routing and fallback
Routing can try alternative models when one errors, and errored attempts are not charged for model tokens.
Spend controls
Standard and above add budgets and spend controls, plus prompt caching and a management API key.

Where it runs

  • Web

What it works with

  • OpenAI SDK

OpenRouter Chat is made by OpenRouter, Inc., and has been around since 2023.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

4/71

Other AI assistants it is graded above

OpenRouter Chat's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 4 of the 71 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 4.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 72 AI assistants we grade, cut by the letter each got. OpenRouter Chat’s own letter is outlined.

  • CValue for moneyAbove 6 of 71
  • CFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 71
  • CFeaturesAbove 0 of 71
  • CEase of useAbove 4 of 71
  • CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 71

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

To replace OpenRouter Chat you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 63 of the 71 other AI assistants grade higher.

What you could not

  • An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
  • It plugs into other products, OpenAI SDK among them, and has an API.

What this rests on. OpenRouter Chat’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

Poe, T3 Chat, TypingMind, NanoGPT and LibreChat

The 5 tools OpenRouter Chat is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

12

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is OpenRouter Chat free?

OpenRouter Chat has a free plan. Chat and API access to 25+ free models from 4 providers, limited to 50 requests a day.

How much does OpenRouter Chat cost?

OpenRouter Chat lists 4 plans. Free: $0.

What platforms does OpenRouter Chat work on?

OpenRouter Chat is available on Web.

Does OpenRouter Chat have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. OpenRouter Chat is listed for Web.

Does OpenRouter Chat have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. OpenRouter Chat is listed for Web.

Is OpenRouter Chat open source?

OpenRouter Chat is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.

Does OpenRouter Chat have an API?

Yes. OpenRouter Chat offers a public API, according to its own site.

What does OpenRouter Chat integrate with?

OpenRouter Chat's listing names OpenAI SDK. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.

Who makes OpenRouter Chat?

OpenRouter Chat is made by OpenRouter, Inc. It dates from 2023.

What are the alternatives to OpenRouter Chat?

The closest alternatives to OpenRouter Chat in our directory are Poe, T3 Chat, TypingMind, NanoGPT and LibreChat.

How does OpenRouter Chat compare with other AI assistants?

OpenRouter Chat's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 4 of the 71 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 4.

Could I make my own version of OpenRouter Chat?

To replace OpenRouter Chat you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from OpenRouter Chat’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from OpenRouter Chat's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by OpenRouter, Inc. Prices change, so check openrouter.ai before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

5,038

Tools graded, in 95 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 5,038

    tools graded

  • 95

    categories

  • 739

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "OpenRouter Chat: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/openrouter-chat

Know someone choosing between AI assistants?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/openrouter-chat/guide

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See our other guides

The best-graded AI assistants after OpenRouter Chat, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what OpenRouter Chat’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. OpenRouter Chat is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by OpenRouter, Inc. Prices and plans change: check openrouter.ai before you buy.