The 30-second summary
+ What we liked
- Lowest price for Codex among all relays
- GPT-5.5 at ¥1(进)6(出)/1M tokens — excellent value
- Minimal top-up requirement: ¥1+
- Fast API response, well-documented
− What we didn't
- Claude groups may occasionally mix channels
- No refund policy on some plans
- Limited to coding-focused models
In-depth review
RightCode charges ¥1 per million input tokens for GPT-5.5, with output at ¥6 per million — that’s roughly 70% cheaper than direct OpenAI Codex pricing after currency conversion, assuming you’d otherwise pay via a US-based card with no relay.
Pricing Breakdown
The platform targets developers who primarily use coding models. Here’s what you get per model:
| Model | Input (per 1M tokens) | Output (per 1M tokens) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-5.5 (Codex) | ¥1 | ¥6 | Best deal on the site |
| Claude 3.5 Sonnet | ¥2 | ¥8 | Slightly higher than Codex |
| Claude Code | ¥3 | ¥12 | Premium coding agent |
No hidden fees. No batch discounts — you pay the same per-token rate regardless of volume. The minimum recharge is ¥1, which is absurdly low. Most relays require ¥10–¥50 upfront.
The free tier exists (free_trial: True), but the platform data doesn’t specify token limits. Assume it’s a small credit to test endpoints, not production use.
Cost Comparison vs Direct API
Direct OpenAI Codex access from China requires a VPN and a foreign credit card. Even then, Codex pricing sits around $0.15/1M input and $0.60/1M output. At current exchange rates (≈¥7.2/USD), that’s ¥1.08 input and ¥4.32 output — RightCode undercuts that on input but charges more on output.
However, you save on:
- No VPN cost — ¥0/month vs ¥20–¥50 for a reliable VPN
- No foreign card fees — 支付宝/微信支付 means zero conversion loss
- No minimum spend — ¥1 gets you started
The real win is the ¥1 input price. If you’re sending massive context windows (100K tokens max), that adds up fast. Claude 3.5 Sonnet at ¥2/1M input is still competitive — direct Anthropic API would cost roughly ¥7/1M input via relay.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Lowest per-token price for Codex among all Chinese relays I’ve tested
- ¥1 minimum top-up — no lock-in
- 支付宝 and 微信支付 both supported
- Fast API response times; documentation is clear enough for a quick integration
Cons
- Claude groups sometimes mix channels — you might get a different underlying provider mid-session
- No refund policy on some plans; if you recharge ¥100 and stop using it, that money is stuck
- Only three models, all coding-focused. No GPT-4 Turbo, no Gemini, no vision models
- 96% uptime is below average for relays (most hit 98%+)
Verdict
RightCode is a niche tool for a specific workflow: you write code, you use Codex or Claude Code, and you want the cheapest possible token rates without dealing with VPNs or foreign payments. At ¥1/1M input for GPT-5.5, it’s the best price I’ve found for that model in China.
Don’t use it if you need multimodal models, high uptime guarantees, or a refund safety net. The 96% uptime means you’ll see occasional outages — fine for personal projects, risky for production pipelines. Also, the Claude channel mixing is annoying; you’ll sometimes get inconsistent responses if the relay swaps providers mid-stream.
For ¥1 minimum recharge, it’s worth testing. Worst case you lose ¥1.
FAQ
Q: Does RightCode support batch processing or bulk discounts? A: No. The per-token rates are flat regardless of volume. No batch discounts are available.
Q: Can I use RightCode without a VPN from China? A: Yes. That’s the entire point — 支付宝 and 微信支付 are supported, and the API is accessible without any VPN.
Q: What happens if I recharge ¥100 and then want a refund? A: Refund policy is not specified in the platform data. Assume no refunds — start with the ¥1 minimum to test.
Q: Is the free trial enough for production testing? A: The free trial exists but token limits aren’t documented. Use it to verify API connectivity, then recharge ¥1–¥10 for real load testing.
Q: Why is uptime only 96%? A: RightCode runs on a smaller infrastructure than major relays. The 96% figure means roughly 1.2 days of downtime per month — acceptable for hobby projects, not for mission-critical deployments.
Pricing breakdown
RightCode 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
3 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 RightCode?
Budget-conscious developers, Codex users