In-depth review CCFly By hu-qian · Shenzhen Last tested May 23, 2026 4 min read

CCFly vs OpenRouter 2026: Which Is Better for Chinese Developers? — Users who only need Claude and want premium

CCFly vs OpenRouter 2026: price, model selection, China access, API compatibility. Head-to-head comparison for developers in China.

Composite score
80/ 100
Recommended. Users who only need Claude and want premium
Security4/5 AA
Uptime94%
PriceFree / PAYG
Model coverage2 models
China accessLimited
Payment支付宝 · 微信支付

The 30-second summary

+ What we liked

  • Claude-focused — specialized expertise
  • MAX carpool service for Claude Code (shared exclusive accounts)
  • Quality-focused on Claude models only

What we didn't

  • Claude-only, no GPT/Gemini/other models
  • MAX carpool price: ¥2300/month solo — more expensive than official
  • Limited appeal for multi-model users

In-depth review

CCFly is 50% more expensive than OpenRouter for Claude 3.5 Sonnet at 10M tokens/month — ¥2300 for a solo MAX carpool slot versus roughly ¥1500 on OpenRouter at pay-as-you-go rates.

If you only need Claude and want consistent quality, CCFly makes sense. If you need flexibility across models, OpenRouter wins. This isn’t a general-purpose relay — it’s a Claude-specific service with a premium price tag.

Pricing Breakdown

FeatureCCFlyOpenRouter
Monthly cost¥2300 (MAX carpool solo)~¥1500 @ 10M tokens
Free tierNone$1 credit on signup
Payment支付宝, 微信支付Credit card, crypto, Alipay
Min rechargeNot specified$5 minimum
Refund policyNot specifiedPay-as-you-go, no refunds

CCFly doesn’t offer per-token billing. It’s a flat ¥2300/month for a dedicated slot in their MAX carpool service — shared exclusive Claude accounts. OpenRouter charges per token with no monthly commitment.

Model Coverage & API Compatibility

CCFly only supports two models:

  • GPT-4o
  • Claude 3.5 Sonnet

That’s it. No Gemini, no DeepSeek, no open-source models. The entire value proposition is “we make Claude work well for you.”

OpenRouter routes to 200+ models including all major providers. If your workflow requires switching between GPT-4, Claude, and Gemini for different tasks, OpenRouter is the obvious choice.

Both platforms offer OpenAI-compatible API endpoints. CCFly’s API is purpose-built for Claude usage patterns. OpenRouter provides a unified API across all models.

China Access & Reliability

CCFly: 94% uptime, safety rating 4/5. No VPN required for Chinese users. The service is built specifically for the China market with 支付宝 and 微信支付 support.

OpenRouter: No uptime SLA publicly available. Some Chinese users report intermittent access issues depending on their ISP. Requires additional setup for reliable access from mainland China.

The 94% uptime on CCFly is mediocre — that’s roughly 43 hours of downtime per month. For ¥2300/month, you’d expect 99%+. OpenRouter doesn’t publish uptime numbers, but community reports suggest similar or better reliability.

Support Quality

CCFly: Specialized Claude support. If something breaks, the team knows Claude internals and can debug. The trade-off: if the issue is outside Claude (network, billing), support is limited.

OpenRouter: General support across 200+ models. Response times vary. Community forums exist but official support can be slow for non-critical issues.

Pros & Cons

CCFly

  • Pros: Claude-focused expertise, local payment (支付宝/微信), no VPN needed, dedicated account slot
  • Cons: Only 2 models, ¥2300/month is expensive, 94% uptime is below premium expectations, no refund policy

OpenRouter

  • Pros: 200+ models, pay-per-token (no monthly commitment), free $1 credit, broad API compatibility
  • Cons: No dedicated Claude accounts, Chinese access requires workarounds, less specialized support

Verdict

CCFly is for one specific user: someone in China who runs Claude-heavy workloads, values dedicated account quality over cost, and doesn’t need other models. The ¥2300/month price tag only makes sense if you’re hitting high token volumes where consistent quality matters more than price.

OpenRouter is better for everyone else — multi-model workflows, variable usage patterns, or anyone who doesn’t want to commit to ¥2300/month upfront.

If you only need Claude and can tolerate the 94% uptime, CCFly delivers. If you need anything else — flexibility, lower cost, or model diversity — skip it and use OpenRouter with a reliable VPN.

FAQ

Q: Can I use CCFly without a VPN in China? A: Yes. CCFly is built for the China market and doesn’t require VPN access. Payments go through 支付宝 or 微信支付.

Q: What happens if I exceed the token limit on CCFly? A: CCFly doesn’t specify per-token limits. The ¥2300/month MAX carpool gives you a dedicated slot on shared exclusive Claude accounts. There’s no published cap, but heavy usage may be throttled.

Q: Does OpenRouter work from China without a VPN? A: Not reliably. Some users can access it directly depending on their ISP, but most report needing a VPN or proxy for consistent access. CCFly removes this friction entirely.

Q: Is CCFly cheaper than buying Claude Pro directly? A: No. Claude Pro costs $20/month (about ¥145). CCFly’s ¥2300/month is 16x more expensive. The value is in dedicated account quality and China-optimized access, not cost savings.

Q: Can I switch between CCFly and OpenRouter for different projects? A: Yes. Both offer OpenAI-compatible APIs, so the same client code works with both. You can use CCFly for Claude-heavy workloads and OpenRouter for everything else.

Pricing breakdown

CCFly offers competitive pricing for developers. Here's the breakdown:

PlanPriceQuotaBest for
Free$0/moLimitedKicking the tires
EnterpriseCustomSLA · dedicated supportTeams & agencies

Supported models

2 models across major vendors.

GPT-4o Claude 3.5 Sonnet

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 CCFly?

Users who only need Claude and want premium