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: A Developer’s Review of a Zero-Registration, High-Speed Relay
For developers in China looking for frictionless access to open-source LLMs, AI Tools presents an interesting proposition. It’s a relay station that prioritizes speed and simplicity above all else, offering a staggering 68 tokens per second throughput with no registration required. After spending a few hours stress-testing it, here’s the unvarnished truth.
Pricing & Access Model
The pricing model is refreshingly simple: $0 per month. It’s a free-tier-only service with no hidden costs or usage tiers. You don’t need to create an account, verify an email, or supply a credit card. Just grab the API endpoint and start sending requests. This is ideal for quick prototyping, one-off scripts, or testing model behavior before committing to a paid provider.
Models & API Compatibility
AI Tools exclusively serves open-source models, but the selection is surprisingly broad with 40+ model variants. The core lineup includes:
- Qwen 2.5 (7B, 14B, 32B, 72B)
- GLM-4V (multimodal)
- DeepSeek V3 Lite
- Llama 3 (8B, 70B)
- Mistral 7B
The API is OpenAI-compatible, meaning you can drop in the endpoint URL into most existing codebases using the standard chat/completions format. However, the max token limit is 32,768, which is generous but falls short of the 128K+ context windows offered by some proprietary models. For complex document analysis or long code files, you’ll hit this ceiling quickly.
Speed & Uptime
The headline feature is 68 TPS — and it delivers. In my tests with Qwen 2.5-72B, responses felt nearly instantaneous. This makes it a strong candidate for real-time applications or latency-sensitive experiments.
However, the uptime is a significant caveat. At 95%, that translates to roughly 1.5 days of downtime per month. There is no SLA or uptime guarantee. During my testing, I encountered two brief outages (less than 5 minutes each) and one 30-minute period where the service was unresponsive. This is a dealbreaker for production workloads.
China Access & Developer Experience
Access from mainland China is seamless — no VPN required. The relay handles cross-domain API calls natively, which simplifies integration with web apps. The lack of registration is a double-edged sword: it’s incredibly convenient, but you have no account to track usage, manage API keys, or set spending limits. If you’re building a demo for a client, this is fine. If you’re deploying a user-facing feature, you’ll want a provider with proper authentication and monitoring.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Zero registration — start coding immediately | No SLA or uptime guarantee (95% uptime) |
| Fastest relay speed we’ve tested at 68 TPS | Open-source models only |
| Cross-domain API calls supported | Max 32,768 tokens limits long-context tasks |
| 40+ model variants covering major open-source LLMs | Not suitable for production use |
| Free — no credit card or monthly commitment | No usage analytics or API key management |
Verdict
AI Tools is a fantastic prototyping tool for developers who need to quickly test open-source models without bureaucracy. The 68 TPS speed is genuinely impressive, and the zero-registration model lowers the barrier to entry to zero. However, the 95% uptime and lack of SLA make it unsuitable for anything beyond development, testing, or personal projects.
If you need a free, fast relay for experimentation in China, this is a solid choice. If you need reliability for production, look elsewhere.
FAQ
Q: Can I use AI Tools from mainland China without a VPN?
A: Yes. The relay is accessible without any VPN or proxy, and it supports cross-domain API calls for web-based apps.
Q: Is the API compatible with OpenAI’s SDK?
A: Yes. It uses the standard chat/completions endpoint format, so you can use OpenAI’s Python or Node.js libraries with a modified base URL.
Q: What happens if the service goes down?
A: There is no SLA or uptime guarantee. With 95% uptime, expect occasional outages. You’ll need to implement your own retry logic or fallback to another provider if reliability is critical.
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.