CheapAI

Cheap API for Claude, GPT, Gemini & Grok

One OpenAI-compatible key for every flagship model — far cheaper than going direct. Works with Cursor, Claude Code and Cline out of the box.

No CDN https://api.cheapai.io/v1 CDN https://cheapai.io/v1
POST /v1/chat/completions
{
  "model": "claude-opus-5",
  "messages": [
    { "role": "user", "content": "Hi" }
  ]
}
OpenAI-compatible · Streaming · Tools · /v1/responses
Pay-as-you-go USD RUB Crypto
1,300+
developers on board
2,100,000+
requests processed
40
models available
−87%
savings vs API
$300,000+
saved by customers

Why so cheap

It's the same Claude, GPT, and Gemini. Just without someone else's margin.

Direct upstream access

We source model access in bulk and pass the wholesale price on to you. Between you and Anthropic / OpenAI / Google there's no Cursor, no ChatGPT Plus, no retail provider markup.

The same models

Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok — original APIs, same weights, same outputs. The original model is always called.

One wallet for all models

Skip Cursor Pro, ChatGPT Plus, and Claude Pro. One balance, dozens of models, topped up by card, SBP, or USDT. Pay only for tokens you actually use — no minimum spend, no expiration.

Smart routing

Our own system continuously scores the quality of every route and sends your traffic through the best one available.

Pricing

Original Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and xAI models — up to 87% cheaper than retail.

Claude Fable 5

Anthropic

−62%
Input
$3.80$10
Output
$19$50

Claude Opus 5

Anthropic

−87%
Input
$0.66$5.00
Output
$3.33$25

GPT 5.6 Sol

OpenAI

−85%
Input
$0.74$5.00
Output
$4.36$30

GPT 5.6 Luna

OpenAI

−86%
Input
$0.14$1.00
Output
$0.84$6.00

GPT 5.5

OpenAI

−85%
Input
$0.74$5.00
Output
$4.43$30

Gemini 3.1 Pro High

Google

−77%
Input
$0.47$2.00
Output
$2.80$12

Gemini 3.5 Flash

Google

−77%
Input
$0.35$1.50
Output
$2.10$9.00

Grok 4.5

xAI

−68%
Input
$0.65$2.00
Output
$2.00$6.00

Prices in USD per 1M tokens. Pay-per-use. Savings calculated using typical input/output ratio of ~10:1 (Cursor / Claude Code workload).

For example, Claude Opus 5: $200 a month at Anthropic — $26.48 with cheapai.io (−87%).

Quick start

From signup to first request — 60 seconds. No subscriptions or commitments.

  1. 01

    Sign up

    Email + password. No SMS, no document verification. Top up from $5 by card or crypto.

  2. 02

    Create an API key

    Dashboard → Keys → Create. Get a sk-xxxx key — copy it once.

  3. 03

    Change Base URL in your tool

    In Cursor / Claude Code / any OpenAI client → Settings → API Base URL → paste:

    No CDN https://api.cheapai.io/v1 CDN https://cheapai.io/v1

    Both work the same. Without a CDN — for long requests and where the CDN is unreachable.

  4. 04

    Done

    Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, Cline, and any OpenAI SDK now route through cheapai.io. Open Logs in the dashboard — you'll see requests in real time.

Drop-in compatible

One OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Change base_url — everything works.

CursorClaude CodeCodex CLIOpenAI SDKAnthropic SDKClineKilo CodeContinue.devLangChainLlamaIndexn8nAider
Same config across all tools
# OpenAI SDK / Cursor / Claude Code
base_url = "https://cheapai.io/v1"
api_key  = "sk-..."

# That's it. Models from your catalog work as-is.

Also available without a CDN: https://api.cheapai.io/v1 — use it for long requests where the model stays silent over ~2 minutes, or where the CDN is unreachable.

Frequently asked questions

What people usually ask before signing up.

01 Are these really the original Claude / GPT / Gemini models?

Yes. Requests are routed to the official Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google APIs — same weights, same streaming, same latency. The original model is always called. Verify with a single request — outputs match direct API.

02 Why is it so cheap? What's the catch?

No catch. We buy model access in bulk and pass through wholesale pricing. Between you and the provider there's no Cursor / ChatGPT Plus / Claude Pro retail margin. At scale the difference is 10x+ — normal for us, big savings for you.

03 How is this better than Cursor Pro or Claude Code Max?

Subscriptions are fixed monthly with message limits. We're pay-per-token: pay only for what you actually use. Coding 30 min/day? It's a fraction of subscription cost. 8 hours/day? Still cheaper, because our rates beat official API.

04 How do I connect the API to Cursor or Claude Code?

Set Base URL https://cheapai.io/v1 and your API key in the tool settings — works with Cursor, Claude Code, Cline, Kilo Code, and any OpenAI-compatible SDK. Step-by-step guides for each tool are in the Docs.

05 What if a model starts failing?

You will not notice. Route quality is scored continuously and traffic moves to a healthy one before the problem reaches you. Nothing changes in your code: same key, same Base URL.

06 Do you store my prompts?

No. For requests through the API we keep service data only: model, token counts, latency and cost. That is enough to bill you and That is enough to bill you and to let the routing system see where quality is slipping. Request and response text is not stored. The one exception is the built-in chat on the site: history there exists because you want it, it is stored encrypted and is deleted along with the conversation.

07 How do payments work? Minimum top-up?

Visa / Mastercard, SBP, USDT TRC20. Minimum: $1 (USD card: $5). Balance credits automatically after payment.

08 Do you offer subscriptions or only pay-as-you-go?

Both. Pay-as-you-go: top up a balance that never expires and pay only for the tokens you use. Or a 30-day subscription plan with up to 40% off across all models, activated from your balance in a couple of clicks.

09 Which models are available?

All current families: Claude (Opus, Sonnet, Haiku), ChatGPT / GPT including mini versions, Gemini (Pro and Flash), and more. New releases appear in the catalog shortly after launch — see the Models page, it updates automatically.

10 Production-ready?

Yes. Stable uptime, latency comparable to direct provider API. Rate limits match Anthropic / OpenAI standard. For custom limits or dedicated channels at high volume — contact support to discuss.

11 What about code privacy?

Request/response content isn't stored in our DB. We log only metadata: token counts, model, latency. Chat history in /chat is AES-256-GCM encrypted server-side. /v1 requests are pass-through, nothing persists.

12 Can I integrate cheapai into my product?

Yes. The /v1/* endpoint is fully OpenAI-compatible — existing code or SDKs work without changes. For B2B with custom rates and SLA — email support, we'll discuss a contract.

Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini & Grok — one API

All current models, new releases added fast. From $5. Launch in 60 seconds.

Top up from $5, pay as you go. Pricing several times lower than official retail.