Frequently asked questions
Is this actually the same model, or a cheaper substitute?
The same model. You call the identical model ID through an OpenAI-compatible endpoint. If you ask for claude-opus-5 you get Claude Opus 5, with the same context window. Verify it yourself by running a prompt you know the answer to before you trust it with real work.
How much cheaper is it?
It depends on the model. The Claude family and most of the GPT-5.6 family currently run at 50% of documented official list price. GPT-5.6 Sol is 37.5% off input and 25% off output, because OpenAI's own $4/$20 rate is promotional. Some models are at or near list. We publish the current per-model rate rather than a single headline number.
Do I have to prepay?
No. The minimum top-up is $1 and the balance does not expire. This is the main difference from prepaid credit bundles, which typically start at $250 and go up to $10,000.
How do I pay?
Card via Stripe, plus additional methods depending on region. Balances are denominated in USD.
Which models are actually discounted?
Verified against vendor docs: the Claude family (Opus 5, Sonnet 5, Fable 5, Haiku 4.5) and GPT-5.6 Terra / Luna / GPT-6 Astra run at 50% of documented list. GPT-5.6 Sol is 37.5% / 25% off. For DeepSeek, GLM, Kimi, Qwen and MiniMax we publish the gateway rate but claim no discount, because those vendors bill by peak/off-peak windows and cache tiers — one percentage would be misleading.
Does it work with Claude Code, Cursor, Cline and Aider?
Yes. All of them let you override the API base URL. See the setup guides for Claude Code, Cursor and the SDKs.
What happens if the gateway goes down?
Your requests fail. Keep your direct provider key configured as a fallback and put the base URL in an environment variable so you can switch back without redeploying.
Is this allowed by Anthropic and OpenAI?
These routes generally sit in a grey area relative to vendor terms of service. They are widely used, but they are not an official reseller channel. If you need contractual guarantees, buy direct.
Can I use this for production?
Many teams do. Start with non-critical traffic, verify output quality on your own tasks, and keep a fallback configured. Regulated or sensitive data should not go through any third-party gateway.
How do I know these prices are current?
Every price on this site is checked against the vendor's own pricing page and the gateway's live rate config. The verification date (2026-09-16) is shown in the footer of every page. Prices change without notice, so confirm before you commit a workload.