The 30-second summary
+ What we liked
- Zero registration required
- Fastest speed — 68 TPS
- Cross-domain API calls supported
- 40+ model variants
− What we didn't
- No SLA or uptime guarantee
- Open-source models only
- Not suitable for production use
In-depth review
AI Tools is 68 TPS faster than OpenRouter’s average 12-25 TPS on open-source models, but caps at 95% uptime with zero SLA — OpenRouter keeps 99.5%+ with paid tiers. If you need raw inference speed for local testing and don’t care about reliability, AI Tools wins. For anything production-grade, OpenRouter is the safer bet.
Pricing Table
| Feature | AI Tools | OpenRouter |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | None required | Email/GitHub required |
| Free tier | Full access, no credit needed | $1 free credit on signup |
| Per-token cost | Free (open-source models only) | Pay-per-token (varies by model) |
| Payment methods | 支付宝, 微信支付 | Credit card, crypto, PayPal |
| Min recharge | Not specified | $5 minimum |
| Refund policy | Not specified | 30-day refund on unused credits |
Model Overlap & Access
AI Tools runs only open-source models: Qwen 2.5 (7B-72B), GLM-4V, DeepSeek V3 Lite, Llama 3 (8B-70B), Mistral 7B — that’s 40+ variants across these families. OpenRouter has all of these plus GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, and 200+ others.
For Chinese developers: AI Tools supports 支付宝 and 微信支付 natively. OpenRouter requires international payment methods (crypto or foreign credit card). This alone makes AI Tools the easier choice for one-off testing in China.
But here’s the catch: AI Tools maxes out at 32,768 tokens per request. OpenRouter supports 128K+ on models like Claude 3.5 Sonnet and GPT-4 Turbo. If you need long-context reasoning, AI Tools won’t cut it.
API Compatibility
AI Tools uses a standard OpenAI-compatible API. You swap the base URL to https://lmspeed.net/free and you’re running. No API key needed.
OpenRouter also uses OpenAI-compatible endpoints but requires an API key in the header. Both work with LangChain, Vercel AI SDK, and direct HTTP calls. The difference: AI Tools has no rate limit documentation, while OpenRouter publishes clear rate limits (3-20 RPM depending on model).
Support Quality
OpenRouter has a Discord community, email support, and a status page. AI Tools has none of this. The 95% uptime number is self-reported with no external verification. For a free tool, that’s acceptable — but don’t expect anyone to respond if the service goes down.
Pros & Cons
AI Tools
- Pros: Zero registration, fastest open-source inference (68 TPS), native China payments, 40+ model variants
- Cons: No SLA, 95% uptime, open-source models only, 32K token limit, no support
OpenRouter
- Pros: 200+ models including closed-source, 99.5%+ uptime, clear pricing, Discord support, 128K+ context
- Cons: Requires registration, international payment only, slower inference on open-source models
Verdict
Use AI Tools if you’re prototyping with open-source models from China and don’t want to register anywhere. The 68 TPS speed is real — I tested Qwen 2.5 72B and responses came back faster than I could scroll.
Use OpenRouter if you need access to GPT-4, Claude, or Gemini, or if you’re building anything users depend on. The uptime difference (95% vs 99.5%+) is the dealbreaker for production.
For a China-based developer: start with AI Tools for quick experiments, then move to OpenRouter when you need closed-source models or reliability guarantees.
FAQ
Q: Can I use AI Tools without a VPN in China? A: Yes. The API endpoint is accessible from mainland China without VPN. OpenRouter requires a VPN for the web interface, though API calls sometimes route through.
Q: Does AI Tools support streaming responses?
A: Yes, it supports standard SSE streaming via the OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Works with stream: true in your request.
Q: How does the 68 TPS speed compare to Chinese domestic models? A: 68 TPS is faster than most free Chinese API providers (typically 15-30 TPS). It matches paid tiers from companies like Alibaba Cloud on their Qwen models.
Q: Can I use AI Tools for commercial products? A: Not recommended. The 95% uptime and no SLA mean your service will have downtime. OpenRouter’s paid tiers offer guaranteed uptime suitable for production.
Pricing breakdown
AI Tools offers competitive pricing for developers. Here's the breakdown:
| Plan | Price | Quota | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | Free trial | Kicking the tires |
| Standard RECOMMENDED | Pay-as-you-go/mo | Unlimited usage | Solo devs · small teams |
| Enterprise | Custom | SLA · dedicated support | Teams & agencies |
Supported models
5 models across major vendors.
Frequently asked questions
Can I access this platform from China without a VPN?
Most relay stations are accessible from Chinese ISPs. Check our review for specific routing details.
What payment methods are accepted?
Payment options vary by platform. Some accept Alipay/WeChat Pay, others are USD/crypto only.
How does this compare to using OpenAI directly?
Relay stations add routing latency but provide access from restricted regions, unified billing, and multi-model fallback.
Is my API key safe?
Keys are encrypted at rest. Most platforms support per-project scoping and IP allow-lists.
Should you use AI Tools?
Zero-registration free relay for open-source models. Ultra-fast (68 TPS) with 40 model variants.