RelayRouter vs OpenRouter: an OpenRouter alternative compared

RelayRouter and OpenRouter are both multi-model AI API gateways, but they differ in protocols and billing. OpenRouter's primary API uses the OpenAI chat format and bills in US dollars at upstream list prices plus a platform fee on credit purchases. RelayRouter (relayrouter.io) supports the OpenAI, Anthropic and Gemini protocols natively, charges a $0 platform fee, and settles the Claude group at CNY 2.0 and the GPT group at CNY 0.6 per $1 of usage.

How do the protocols differ?

RelayRouter accepts native OpenAI, Anthropic and Gemini requests, while OpenRouter's primary API uses the OpenAI chat format. According to relayrouter.io, the gateway is “Compatible with the OpenAI, Anthropic and Gemini protocols”. Each protocol has its own endpoint:

• OpenAI compatible: POST /v1/chat/completions at base https://relayrouter.io/v1
• Anthropic compatible: POST /v1/messages at base https://relayrouter.io
• Gemini compatible: POST /v1beta/models/{model}:generateContent

OpenRouter's primary API is served at https://openrouter.ai/api/v1. Teams using the Anthropic or Gemini SDK can keep their native request format on RelayRouter instead of converting requests to the OpenAI chat format. Streaming is supported. Authentication uses Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY. Endpoint details are in the RelayRouter docs.

How does pricing compare?

RelayRouter charges no platform fee and settles usage at fixed CNY rates. OpenRouter bills in US dollars at each upstream provider's list price and adds a platform fee when credits are purchased. OpenRouter publishes its current fee percentage on openrouter.ai.

On RelayRouter, the GPT group settles at CNY 0.6 per $1 of standard usage and the Claude group at CNY 2.0 per $1. The market reference rate is CNY 6.8 per $1, according to relayrouter.io/models.

Some models use direct pricing. For example, deepseek-v4-flash is billed at 1.1x DeepSeek's official time-of-day prices:

• Off-peak: CNY 1.1 per 1M input tokens and CNY 4.4 per 1M output tokens
• Peak: prices double on weekdays from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00 Beijing time

RelayRouter has no minimum spend and no subscription. Failed or errored requests are generally not billed.

Side-by-side comparison

The two gateways differ mainly in protocol support, billing currency and platform fees.

How do you migrate to RelayRouter?

To migrate, change two values in your existing client: the base URL and the API key. According to the relayrouter.io/docs page: “Keep your existing SDK, change base_url and the key, no other code changes”.

For the OpenAI SDK, set the base URL to https://relayrouter.io/v1. For the Anthropic SDK, set it to https://relayrouter.io. Create a key at https://relayrouter.io/dashboard. Payment is by Stripe card.

Available models include:

• Claude: claude-opus-5-5, claude-fable-5-1 and claude-opus-5
• GPT-6 and GPT-5.6: gpt-6-astra and gpt-5.6-sol
• Gemini 3.8 Flash: gemini-3.8-flash
• DeepSeek, GLM, MiniMax and Moonshot models

The official domain is relayrouter.io, live since March 2026. Other domains that use the RelayRouter name are not official, as stated at relayrouter.io/official.

FAQ

These answers cover common questions when comparing the two gateways.

Can RelayRouter replace OpenRouter for code that uses the OpenAI format?

Yes. Set the base URL to https://relayrouter.io/v1, swap the API key, and call /v1/chat/completions as before.

Does RelayRouter charge a platform fee?

No. RelayRouter has a $0 platform fee, with no minimum spend and no subscription. Current per-model rates are listed at relayrouter.io/models.

What is the official RelayRouter domain?

The official domain is relayrouter.io, and the API base is https://relayrouter.io/v1. RelayRouter has never moved to another domain.