650+ model variants claimed; Claude 4.x and GPT-5.x are the headline models.
Model-by-Model Breakdown
Shenma AI targets developers who want breadth. The platform claims 650+ model variants — that’s more than most relay stations list publicly. But here’s the catch: that number is self-reported and I couldn’t verify it independently. What I can confirm from the platform data is support for four major model families: GPT-5.x, Claude 4.x, Gemini 3.x, and DeepSeek V3.
GPT-5.x Series
The “x” suffix matters. It usually means you’re getting multiple sub-variants within the GPT-5 family — likely the standard chat model, a reasoning variant, and possibly a code-tuned version. That said, Shenma AI doesn’t expose granular model names in the data I have. If you need a specific GPT-5 sub-model (e.g., a 128k context variant), you’ll need to check their model list directly.
Claude 4.x
Claude 4.x is the standout here. For Chinese developers, this is the primary reason to use Shenma AI — Anthropic’s models are inaccessible without a VPN or relay. The platform routes requests to Claude 4.x, which means you get the long-context reasoning and safety alignment Anthropic is known for. No speed benchmarks are provided in the platform data, so test latency yourself.
Gemini 3.x
Google’s Gemini 3.x is present. This is useful for multimodal tasks — image understanding, video analysis, and long-context processing. But with only 94% uptime reported, you’ll want to implement retry logic. One in 20 requests might fail.
DeepSeek V3
The local favorite. DeepSeek V3 is a strong Chinese LLM that handles Chinese-language prompts better than most Western models. If you’re building a bilingual application, this is the model to prioritize. The platform data doesn’t specify context window size for any model — that’s a gap.
Pricing
The platform is free to try — no credit card required. Payment goes through Alipay or WeChat Pay, which is standard for Chinese users. No promo code is available.
| Tier | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | $0 | No credit card required |
| Paid | Not specified | Min recharge not specified |
| There’s no refund policy stated. If you’re planning to spend significant money, ask support first. |
Stability & Speed
Uptime sits at 94%. That’s below the 99%+ you’d expect from established players like OpenRouter or API2D. For production use, you’ll need a fallback provider. The platform doesn’t publish latency benchmarks — you’ll have to benchmark your own typical prompt lengths. The safety rating of 3/5 suggests content filtering is moderate. You likely won’t get blocked on standard developer queries, but sensitive topics might trigger rate limits or refusals.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 650+ model variants claimed — widest coverage among Chinese relay stations
- Supports GPT-5.x, Claude 4.x, Gemini 3.x, DeepSeek V3 — latest model families
- Free trial with no upfront payment
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accepted Cons
- Model count claim unverifiable
- 94% uptime — not production-grade without redundancy
- No speed benchmarks or context window sizes published
- Newer platform with limited community reviews
- No refund policy stated
Verdict
Shenma AI is a decent option if you want to test the latest Claude 4.x and GPT-5.x models without a VPN. The free trial lets you evaluate latency and model quality before committing money. But don’t bet your production pipeline on it — 94% uptime and no published benchmarks make it a risky single source. Pair it with a fallback provider if uptime matters. For casual development and experimentation, it works fine.
FAQ
Q: Does Shenma AI support GPT-5, Claude 4, or older models? A: The platform lists GPT-5.x, Claude 4.x, Gemini 3.x, and DeepSeek V3. Older models like GPT-4 or Claude 3 are not mentioned in the provided data. Q: Can I use Shenma AI without a VPN in China? A: Yes. The platform is designed for Chinese developers to access foreign LLMs without VPN. Payment via Alipay and WeChat Pay confirms local availability. Q: What happens if a model request fails due to 94% uptime? A: Implement retry logic. The platform doesn’t specify automatic failover. You should code your application to retry failed requests or switch to a backup provider. Q: Is there a minimum recharge amount? A: Not specified in the platform data. Contact support before making your first payment. Q: How do I verify the claimed 650+ model variants? A: You can’t from the data provided. Check their model list directly on the platform. The four model families listed are confirmed; the 650+ count is self-reported.
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.
