素墨API Cheapest Plan 2026: Price Breakdown & Cost Calculator — Free forever API relay with strict no-logging policy. Handles 1B+ tokens daily …

The 30-second summary

In-depth review

素墨API charges exactly ¥0 per million tokens — because it’s completely free. No hidden fees, no free tier that runs out, no credit card required.

The Pricing Reality: Free vs. Paid Alternatives

Most AI relay stations in China charge per-token rates ranging from ¥2-15 per million tokens for open-source models. Direct API access from providers like Alibaba (Qwen) or DeepSeek costs ¥1-4 per million tokens. 素墨API sits at ¥0 — a literal zero-cost alternative.

The catch? You can’t access proprietary models. No GPT-4, no Claude, no Gemini. 素墨API routes exclusively through open-weight models: Qwen 2.5, GLM-4, DeepSeek V3, Llama 3, and Mistral. That’s 30+ variants of these 5 base models.

For context: running Qwen 2.5-72B through Alibaba’s direct API costs ~¥4 per million input tokens. 素墨API gives you the same model for free. The trade-off is uptime (98.0%) and potential queue delays during peak hours — though the platform handles 1B+ tokens daily, so capacity isn’t trivial.

Cost Comparison: 素墨API vs. Direct API Providers

The numbers are straightforward: you save 100% on token costs. No batch discounts needed because there’s no base price to discount.

Hidden Costs and Risks

Free isn’t magic — it comes with three concrete risks:

Sustainability. 素墨API doesn’t charge users. No min recharge, no payment methods required (支付宝 and 微信支付 are listed but irrelevant for free users). The platform’s long-term viability depends on external funding or internal subsidies. If costs outpace funding, the service could shut down or introduce pricing.

No refund policy. Since you never pay, there’s nothing to refund. But if the platform goes offline, you lose access with zero recourse.

Model availability. Open-source models only. If your workflow requires GPT-4 or Claude (common for complex reasoning or structured output), 素墨API is a non-starter. You’ll need a paid relay that routes to proprietary APIs.

When Free Makes Sense

素墨API works best for:

• Batch processing. Run thousands of classification or extraction tasks at zero cost.
• Prototyping. Test prompts and workflows before committing to paid API credits.
• Privacy-sensitive projects. The strict no-logging policy means your prompts and outputs aren’t stored — rare even among paid relays.
• Open-source model evaluation. Compare Qwen 2.5 vs. DeepSeek V3 vs. Llama 3 side-by-side without burning token budgets.

When to Pay Elsewhere

• Production apps needing GPT-4 or Claude. You can’t get them here.
• Latency-sensitive workloads. 98% uptime is solid but not enterprise-grade (99.9%+).
• Long-term commitments. The uncertainty around sustainability makes it risky for critical infrastructure.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Completely free — no payment, no credit card, no hidden fees
• Strict no-logging privacy policy — prompts and outputs aren’t stored
• 1B+ tokens processed daily — real capacity, not a demo
• 30+ model variants from 5 base models

Cons

• Open-source models only — no GPT-4, Claude, or Gemini
• Long-term sustainability is unclear — no revenue model visible
• 98% uptime — occasional downtime expected
• No refund policy or SLA guarantees

Verdict

素墨API is the cheapest option in the Chinese relay market by a wide margin — exactly ¥0. If you need open-source models and don’t require proprietary APIs, it’s the best deal available. The no-logging policy adds privacy value that paid relays often lack.

But treat it as a supplementary tool, not your primary API. The lack of sustainable revenue and absence of proprietary model access means you’ll eventually need a paid relay for production workloads. Use 素墨API for batch jobs, prototyping, and model comparisons — keep a paid backup (like API2D or WildCard) for critical tasks.

If you’re building a side project or running experiments, stop overthinking and start using it. If you’re deploying to 10,000 users, build in a fallback.

FAQ

Q: Does 素墨API have a free tier that runs out, or is it truly free forever? A: The platform advertises “free forever” with no credit card required. There’s no mention of token caps or usage limits. However, the lack of a revenue model means “forever” depends on the platform’s financial sustainability.

Q: Can I access GPT-4 or Claude through 素墨API? A: No. Only open-source models are available: Qwen 2.5, GLM-4, DeepSeek V3, Llama 3, and Mistral (30+ variants). For proprietary models, you’ll need a paid relay like OpenRouter or API2D.

Q: What payment methods are supported? A: 支付宝 and 微信支付 are listed, but since the service is free, you won’t need to use them unless the platform introduces paid tiers in the future.

Q: Is there a refund policy if I pay for something? A: Not specified. Since the service is currently free, there’s no refund policy to evaluate. If paid tiers are introduced later, check the terms.

Q: How does 素墨API compare to using Alibaba’s Qwen API directly? A: 素墨API is free; Alibaba charges ~¥2-4 per million tokens. The trade-off is uptime (98% vs. Alibaba’s 99.9%+), latency, and model availability (素墨API has fewer variants). For non-critical workloads, 素墨API wins on cost.

Pricing breakdown

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

Supported models

5 models across major vendors.

Frequently asked questions

Should you use 素墨API?

Free forever API relay with strict no-logging policy. Handles 1B+ tokens daily with open-source model coverage.