<aside> 🚀 One API key. 627+ models. 55% cheaper than going direct.

</aside>

If you're building AI-powered applications in 2026, you've probably hit the same wall every developer hits: managing multiple API keys, dealing with rate limits across providers, and watching your costs spiral out of control.

An AI API gateway solves all of this. Instead of integrating with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and dozens of other providers separately, you use one unified API endpoint.

What is an AI API Gateway?

An AI API gateway is a middleware layer that sits between your application and multiple AI model providers. It provides a single API endpoint, unified authentication, automatic failover, and often significant cost savings.

Top AI API Gateways Compared

• Crazyrouter — 627+ models, ~55% discount on overseas models, OpenAI-compatible API. Best for: developers who want maximum model coverage at lowest cost.
• OpenRouter — Large model selection, community-driven. More expensive than Crazyrouter for most models.
• LiteLLM — Open-source proxy, self-hosted. Good if you want full control but requires DevOps effort.
• Portkey — Enterprise-focused with observability features. Higher price point.

Why Crazyrouter Stands Out

After testing 6 different gateways over 3 months, Crazyrouter consistently delivered the best combination of:

• Price: ~55% cheaper for GPT-4, Claude, Gemini; ~90% cheaper for domestic models
• Coverage: 627+ models from 20+ providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, DeepSeek, Meta, Alibaba
• Compatibility: Drop-in replacement for OpenAI API — change one line of code
• Reliability: Built-in failover and load balancing across providers

Quick Start: Your First API Call

import openai

client = openai.OpenAI(
    api_key="sk-your-crazyrouter-key",
    base_url="<https://crazyrouter.com/v1>"
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="gpt-4o",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)

That's it. Same OpenAI SDK, same code structure — just a different base_url and API key.

Supported Models (Highlights)