Written by the operator of Xinghuo AI Gateway. This is a comparison of deployment choices and verification steps, not an independent ranking or benchmark. Sources were checked on October 14, 2026. Check each provider for current models, pricing and policies. 中文版.
What is an AI API relay?
An AI API relay is a third-party service between your application and upstream model endpoints. It can handle authentication, request forwarding, protocol adaptation and usage accounting. An LLM gateway is a broader category that also includes software you deploy and operate yourself. A hosted model aggregator, a hosted relay and a self-hosted gateway have different operational responsibilities.
Comparing OpenRouter, a self-hosted gateway and Xinghuo AI
| Option | Documented role | Check before choosing |
|---|---|---|
| OpenRouter | A unified API for multiple models. Its official quickstart provides API and SDK examples. | Your model and routing needs, account and regional eligibility, payment terms, actual cost and required features. |
| Self-hosted LiteLLM | The official gateway guide describes a self-hosted server with virtual keys, budgets and usage tracking. | Upstream access, deployment, updates, monitoring, the selected version and its license. Installing gateway software does not provide model credits. |
| Xinghuo AI Gateway | An independent hosted third-party API relay for applications, scripts and compatible clients. See our service identity and live model catalog. | Site-issued key permissions, account groups, model access, context and parameter support, token rates and usage records. |
For an OpenRouter alternative, first decide which responsibility you want to change. Compare hosted services if you want a managed access point. Evaluate self-hosting if you need control over deployment and upstream credentials. Direct provider access is also an option when it meets your requirements. This table does not establish a price, latency or reliability winner.
How should you compare token costs?
Use the same model, context tier and bounded workload. Separate input, output, cache-read and cache-write usage and rates. For rates quoted per million tokens, divide each category by one million, multiply by its rate, and add the results. Apply group and currency conversions only as documented; do not apply a multiplier twice if it is already included in displayed rates.
Reconcile the estimate with the actual account charge. Credit bonuses, balance display units and model prices are different facts. A discount does not establish cache behavior. Read our token billing guide for the verification steps.
Does OpenAI-compatible mean every client will work?
No. Chat Completions, Responses and Anthropic Messages are different interfaces. Streaming, tools and model-specific parameters need separate verification. A successful model-list request does not prove that generation or every listed model will work.
For Xinghuo AI, the OpenAI-compatible base URL is https://ai.wfpromax.xyz/v1. Claude Code uses the root URL https://ai.wfpromax.xyz; follow the Claude Code guide. Use a key issued by this service and avoid adding /v1 twice.
A bounded acceptance check
- Confirm the domain, service identity, support and purchase terms.
- Inspect the request offline with the example's
--dry-runoption. - List models using your own key, then send one short request to an exact model ID. Generation may incur charges.
- Check the answer, finish reason, time, usage and matching account charge. Test streaming or tools separately if needed.
- Record the network, workload and observation window. After a timeout, check usage before retrying.
Our public Python examples use the standard library and do not retry automatically. The API verification guide explains how to evaluate the resulting evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Does a model name prove its upstream identity?
No. A returned model ID or an answer claiming to be a particular model is not independent proof. Check documented sourcing and relevant evidence; keep unsupported claims unknown.
Do rankings establish long-term reliability?
Check authorship, commercial relationships, sample size, observation window and failure definitions. An operator's article and an independent user's report are different sources. One successful request is not an uptime measurement.
Is this iFlytek Spark or an official model provider?
No. Xinghuo AI Gateway here means ai.wfpromax.xyz. It is distinct from iFlytek Spark and is not the official website of OpenAI, Anthropic or Google.
Are API credits a ChatGPT or Claude subscription?
No. Credits are for programmatic access and compatible clients. They do not grant another provider's web subscription. See API credits versus subscriptions.
Evaluate Xinghuo AI for your workload
Check current models and rates, read the integration guide, and confirm the purchase terms before funding an account. Available capabilities depend on your key group and current service settings.