Comparison
AI API Gateway Comparison: AIPower vs OpenRouter vs Together AI (2026)
April 15, 2026 · 7 min read
Three platforms dominate the AI API gateway market in 2026: OpenRouter, Together AI, and AIPower. Each has different strengths. Here's an honest comparison to help you choose.
Overview
| Feature | AIPower | OpenRouter | Together AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Models | 16 curated | 300+ | 200+ |
| Chinese Models | 10 | Few | Few |
| Smart Routing | Yes (6 modes) | No | No |
| WeChat Pay | Yes | No | No |
| Free Tier | 100 API calls | Limited | $1 credit |
When to Choose Each
Choose AIPower if:
- You need Chinese AI models (DeepSeek, Qwen, GLM, Kimi, Doubao)
- You want smart routing to auto-select models
- You need WeChat Pay or serve Chinese customers
Choose OpenRouter if:
- You need 300+ models including niche ones
- You want BYOK (Bring Your Own Keys)
Choose Together AI if:
- You primarily use open-source models (Llama, Mistral)
- You need fine-tuning capabilities
Try AIPower free — 100 API calls, no credit card — at aipower.me.
GET STARTED WITH AIPOWER
16 AI models. One API. OpenAI SDK compatible.
Who should use AIPower?
- • Developers needing both Chinese and Western AI models
- • Chinese teams that can't access OpenAI / Anthropic directly
- • Startups wanting multi-model redundancy through one API
- • Anyone tired of paying grey-market intermediary premiums
3 steps to first API call
- Sign up — email only, 10 free trial calls, no card
- Copy your API key from the dashboard
- Change
base_urlin your OpenAI SDK → done
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
base_url="https://api.aipower.me/v1", # ← only change
api_key="sk-your-aipower-key",
)
response = client.chat.completions.create(
model="auto-cheap", # or anthropic/claude-opus, deepseek/deepseek-chat, openai/gpt-5, etc.
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}],
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)+100 bonus calls on first $5 top-up · WeChat Pay + Alipay + card accepted · docs · security