OpenRouter
AI model routingIndependent review. IonBin has no partnership with OpenRouter and was not paid for this page. Our evaluation is our own, based on public documentation and our research. Product names are trademarks of their owners and are used for identification only. How disclosure works.
An API gateway for comparing models and controlling their hosting providers. Its official MCP server helps an assistant inspect models and run small tests; production applications use the API. Documentation checked; no hands-on IonBin test.
- Developers comparing models on a repeatable evaluation set
- Applications needing explicit provider and fallback rules
- Assuming one model name fixes the provider or data policy
- Teams seeking a local-only inference service
Top use cases
- Limit a model request to approved provider endpoints source ↗
- Ask a coding assistant to inspect current model options through the official MCP server source ↗
- Filter routing for zero-data-retention endpoints, subject to OpenRouter's definition and provider terms source ↗
In depth
Plans and costs
The current plan table lists preferred-provider selection on Standard and above. The pricing FAQ separately says ZDR routing is available on every plan. Paid use includes model charges and plan-dependent credit-purchase fees; check live terms before estimating a workload. source ↗
Provider selection
A model can have several hosts. Use provider.only for an allowlist, provider.order for preference, and require_parameters when unsupported request parameters must cause rejection. An order list alone does not exclude fallback providers. source ↗
Data path
Check the router's logging settings and each host's terms separately. OpenRouter says prompt logging is opt-in, while request metadata is retained. A routing filter is not a complete privacy assessment. source ↗
How to use it with AI
How OpenRouter connects to each AI platform: native connector or MCP, API through code the agent writes, browser control, or file upload.
| Platform | MCP / connector | API (agent-written code) | Browser | Upload / export |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude (incl. Claude Code) | Not documented Official Claude Code and Claude Desktop/Web remote MCP setup; OAuth authentication. A named plugin, skill or CLI does not by itself establish an MCP/native connector pairing. Verify the route and client setup. OpenRouter named integration docs ↗Claude (incl. Claude Code) MCP docs ↗ | Not documented Claude (incl. Claude Code): Claude Code edits files and runs commands OpenRouter publishes an API, but this pairing still needs network, authentication and execution-scope checks. OpenRouter API ↗Claude (incl. Claude Code) docs ↗ | Inferred Claude Code with the Claude in Chrome extension (Chrome, Edge and other Chromium browsers). OpenRouter is a web app; the pairing itself is not documented. Claude (incl. Claude Code) browser docs ↗ | Not documented Verify which side exports and which imports, supported formats and permissions. OpenRouter's recorded upload/import status is to-verify; Claude (incl. Claude Code)'s file status is yes. These flags do not establish a file-transfer route. Claude (incl. Claude Code) file docs ↗ |
| OpenAI Codex | Not documented Official Codex CLI MCP setup; OAuth authentication. A named plugin, skill or CLI does not by itself establish an MCP/native connector pairing. Verify the route and client setup. OpenRouter named integration docs ↗OpenAI Codex MCP docs ↗ | Not documented OpenAI Codex: Edits files and runs commands locally; cloud tasks run in isolated workspaces OpenRouter publishes an API, but this pairing still needs network, authentication and execution-scope checks. OpenRouter API ↗OpenAI Codex docs ↗ | Inferred Only in the ChatGPT desktop app; not in the Codex CLI or IDE extension. OpenRouter is a web app; the pairing itself is not documented. OpenAI Codex browser docs ↗ | Not documented Verify which side exports and which imports, supported formats and permissions. OpenRouter's recorded upload/import status is to-verify; OpenAI Codex's file status is yes. These flags do not establish a file-transfer route. OpenAI Codex file docs ↗ |
| Google Antigravity | Not documented OpenRouter has an official MCP server and Google Antigravity supports MCP, but OpenRouter's docs don't name this pairing. Auth setup may differ. OpenRouter MCP docs ↗Google Antigravity MCP docs ↗ | Not documented Google Antigravity: Agents edit code and run tasks OpenRouter publishes an API, but this pairing still needs network, authentication and execution-scope checks. OpenRouter API ↗Google Antigravity docs ↗ | Inferred The /browser guide documents App and CLI support through Chrome DevTools MCP; the overview comparison conflicts on CLI availability. IDE browser features are separate. OpenRouter is a web app; the pairing itself is not documented. Google Antigravity browser docs ↗ | Not documented Verify which side exports and which imports, supported formats and permissions. OpenRouter's recorded upload/import status is to-verify; Google Antigravity's file status is yes. These flags do not establish a file-transfer route. Google Antigravity file docs ↗ |
Confirmed is reserved for evidence of the specific connection route. The current named integrations include plugins, skills and CLIs, so a named platform alone does not confirm MCP or a native connector. Inferred means each side documents a relevant capability, but no document describes the pairing. Code execution still needs network and credential access; file handling still needs a compatible format and transfer direction. Not documented means the records do not establish the route. IonBin has not tested these pairings. Recorded Oct 18, 2026.
To verify Hands-on connection, endpoint eligibility, fallback behavior and measured task quality remain to be tested.
Agent compatibility
| Level | Status | Detail / source |
|---|---|---|
| Native connector / MCP | Yes | Official docs ↗ |
| API / CLI | Yes | Official docs ↗ |
| Browser / manual | No | Browser access is recorded alongside a documented programmatic route. |
| File upload / import | To verify | Batch execution and its model coverage were not validated in this review. |
Recorded Oct 18, 2026. Setup and plan limits vary; check the vendor's docs. How levels are assigned.
Appears in these proposed stacks
An official MCP server is documented for this tool. These platforms separately document MCP client support: ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, Gemini (Google), Google Antigravity, Grok, Grok Bot, Lindy, LM Studio, Mistral Vibe, OpenAI Codex. This inventory does not establish compatible transport, authentication or actions for a pairing. Check the connection matrix and linked sources.
Automation hubs to assess for a custom API connection: Gumloop, Make, n8n, Zapier. Verify credentials, supported requests, limits and error handling; no configured integration is implied.
Workflows using this tool
Explained in the wiki
Review
No long-form review yet. Verdict is based on research, not hands-on testing.