Frequently Asked Questions
Router One is an OpenAI-compatible LLM API gateway for 30+ models. These answers cover the model catalog, API keys, smart routing and failover, billing and top-ups, data handling, and Claude Code / Codex setup — anything else, contact us.
What is Router One?
Router One is an LLM API gateway. It provides a unified OpenAI-compatible API endpoint for 30+ supported models across the major model families (GPT, Claude, Gemini, and more), with intelligent routing, automatic fallback, cost optimization, and per-request observability — reachable worldwide, including mainland China, with payment by card, Alipay, or stablecoins.
How do I get an API Key?
Sign up for a Router One account, then go to Dashboard → API Keys to create a new key. Your key will start with "sk-". Use it in the Authorization header as "Bearer sk-xxx".
Which models are supported?
The line-up turns over whenever new model versions ship, so this answer does not pin a fixed list. The model catalog at /models is the live source of truth: it lists every model ID you can call right now — the GPT, Claude and Gemini families among others — with per-token rates, context windows, and capabilities. If a model is not in the catalog, it is not callable through the gateway.
How does smart routing work?
Your request names a model and the gateway selects an eligible provider route. Server-side adaptive paths can use recent latency, posted cost, and reliability signals; retryable upstream failures can move to another healthy candidate, with the final route recorded in the request trace. The public dashboard does not expose project-level routing weights.
How is billing handled?
Router One supports pay-per-token wallet billing and live subscription plans. Top up your balance with a card or Alipay through one hosted checkout, or with USDT/USDC stablecoins on six chains, or choose a Pro, Max, or Ultra plan for predictable monthly access. If your usable credit reaches zero, API calls outside plan coverage will return a 402 error — top up to resume.
Is my data safe? Do you store request content?
Router One does not retain prompt or model-response bodies from direct API calls. It records request metadata for billing, usage tracking, and troubleshooting. Playground saves conversation history so users can revisit and continue their chats.
How do I configure Claude Code or Codex to use Router One?
For OpenAI-compatible SDKs and HTTP clients, set the base URL (or OPENAI_BASE_URL) to https://api.router.one/v1. For Claude Code, set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to https://api.router.one and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN to your Router One key — ANTHROPIC_API_KEY is not required, and setting it triggers an extra approval prompt. For Codex CLI, add a provider in ~/.codex/config.toml with base_url = "https://api.router.one/v1", wire_api = "responses", and env_key = "ROUTER_ONE_API_KEY" — Codex does not read OPENAI_BASE_URL or OPENAI_API_KEY for a custom provider. One-click install scripts and detailed setup guides are in our documentation.
What should I do if I encounter an issue?
Check the Dashboard → Logs page to inspect recent requests and error codes. Common issues: 401 (invalid API key), 402 (insufficient balance), 429 (rate limit exceeded). For further help, email support@router.one or open an issue on our GitHub.
Can I get an invoice?
Router One issues invoices for any top-up completed through the hosted checkout — card or Alipay — including plain pay-as-you-go wallet top-ups, not only enterprise or subscription accounts. Email support@router.one with your account ID to request one. Stablecoin top-ups are a separate rail and are not invoiceable.