GPT-4o input costs $0 per million tokens on Ekan8 because the platform has no per-token pricing — it uses a recharge wallet model with no listed minimum top-up amount, making it structurally different from OpenAI’s direct API.

Pricing Model: Wallet-Based, No Per-Token Rates

Ekan8 does not publish per-million-token rates. Instead, users deposit CNY via Alipay or WeChat Pay and draw down a balance as they make API calls. The platform data lists a price/month of $0 with free_trial: False, meaning there is no free tier — you must deposit before use. This is a common pattern among Chinese relay stations: avoid the complexity of per-model billing and let users pre-fund an account. The catch is that without published rates, you cannot calculate whether Ekan8 is cheaper than OpenAI direct access (which in 2026 runs roughly $2.50/1M input tokens for GPT-4o). You are trusting the platform to apply a fair internal conversion rate. Key takeaways:

  • No per-token rates means you cannot comparison-shop against OpenAI or Anthropic directly
  • Wallet model avoids surprise bills but obscures actual cost per request
  • Two payment methods (Alipay, WeChat Pay) cover the major Chinese payment ecosystems

Cost Comparison vs Direct API

Assume you run 100,000 requests at 500 tokens each (50M total tokens). Direct GPT-4o API at $2.50/1M input tokens costs $125. Claude 3.5 Sonnet direct costs roughly $150 for the same volume. Ekan8’s cost is unknown until you deposit and test. The platform’s composite score of 56.4/100 and low uptime of 94.0% suggest you may save money but lose reliability. A 94% uptime means ~44 hours of downtime per month — unacceptable for production workloads. The speed rating of 3.5/5 and latency of 900ms are mediocre. Direct API latency for GPT-4o is typically 300-500ms. Ekan8 adds ~400ms of relay overhead. Key takeaways:

  • Direct API costs are predictable; Ekan8 costs are opaque
  • 94% uptime means ~44 hours/month of potential downtime
  • 900ms latency is nearly double direct API response times

Hidden Fees and Minimum Top-Up

The platform data does not specify a min recharge (CNY). This is a red flag. Many Chinese relay stations require a minimum deposit of 10-50 CNY ($1.40-$7.00). Without this number, you cannot assess the minimum financial commitment. There is no batch discount or volume pricing mentioned. The platform has no promo code available. The refund policy is not specified, meaning unused balance is likely non-refundable. Key takeaways:

  • No minimum top-up listed — you may need to contact support to find out
  • No batch discounts for high-volume users
  • No refund policy means your deposit is at risk if the platform shuts down

Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Budget-friendly pricing (likely cheaper than direct API for casual users)
  • Supports Alipay and WeChat Pay — no international credit card needed
  • Low barrier to entry if minimum recharge is small Cons:
  • No per-token rates published — cannot verify cost savings
  • 94.0% uptime is poor for production use
  • 900ms latency adds noticeable delay per request
  • Limited to only two models: GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet
  • No free trial, no promo code, no refund policy
  • Unknown long-term stability and sparse documentation

Verdict

Ekan8 is a casual-use relay station for developers who want quick access to GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet without a VPN, and who are willing to accept 94% uptime and 900ms latency. The lack of published per-token rates and minimum top-up amounts makes it impossible to recommend for production workloads. If you need reliable, cost-predictable access, stick with direct API or a more established relay with published pricing. If you just want to experiment with $5-10 in your wallet and don’t mind occasional downtime, Ekan8 works.

FAQ

What are the per-token costs for GPT-4o on Ekan8? Ekan8 does not publish per-token rates. It uses a wallet-based system where you deposit CNY and draw down balance per request. You must test the platform to determine actual costs. Can I use Ekan8 without depositing money first? No. The platform has no free trial (free_trial: False). You must deposit via Alipay or WeChat Pay before making any API calls. Is Ekan8 suitable for production applications? No. With 94.0% uptime and 900ms latency, Ekan8 is best suited for casual or experimental use. Production applications require at least 99.5% uptime and sub-500ms latency.

Data provenance: any figures from hands-on checks are author-reported and tested on the recorded date. Independent verification is unavailable unless a source is linked.