API Proxies & Aggregators: Use Premium AI at Optimal Cost

The Key Players

OpenRouter — Most popular for individuals

Supports 200+ models from every major provider. Simple interface, transparent pricing, free tier for smaller models. Fully compatible with the OpenAI SDK format — zero migration cost.

Best for: Individual developers, side projects, quickly testing new models.

Z.AI — Optimized for Asian builders

Focused on the Asian market with local payment support including QR code. The Coding Plan offers Claude Sonnet and Gemini Pro at fixed monthly cost — no surprise token-based bills.

Best for: Builders who need premium model access with predictable spend and no international payment friction.

LiteLLM — Build your own gateway

Open-source, self-hosted, supports 100+ providers. For teams that want full control: internal logging, custom rate limiting, zero third-party data sharing.

Best for: Enterprises with compliance requirements, engineering teams with resources to self-host.

Helicone — Observability layer

Not an aggregator — it's a monitoring layer that sits in front of your existing OpenAI/Anthropic calls. Tracks latency, costs, and caches responses automatically. Just add one header to your existing requests.

Best for: Teams needing production monitoring depth without switching endpoints or refactoring code.

Security Warning: The Risks of Third-Party Proxies

Using a third-party proxy means your requests — and sometimes your prompts — pass through their servers. Understand the risk before committing.

Real risks:

• Prompts may be logged and used for undisclosed purposes
• If the proxy is breached, your original API keys are exposed along with it
• Some proxies don't properly encrypt data in transit

How to mitigate:

• Use proxy keys — intermediate keys issued by the proxy — instead of your original provider keys. If a proxy key leaks, revoke it immediately; your original key stays safe
• Read the proxy's Privacy Policy carefully before using it with sensitive data
• Never use third-party proxies for use cases involving PII or customer data
• For enterprise workloads with compliance requirements: self-host LiteLLM — it's the only truly safe option

Direct API vs. Proxy: When to Use What

Conclusion

API proxies aren't the answer to every problem — but for builders in the build-and-test phase, they're an incredibly powerful tool: less account management overhead, lower costs, and seamless access to every top AI model through a single connection point.

Once you've identified your optimal model and are scaling to production, consider migrating to direct API calls for maximum latency performance and security. Also see our guides on mastering API Keys and connecting LLMs to OpenClaw to complete your AI toolkit.