# A Vercel AI Gateway alternative built for China and CLI workflows

> Markdown mirror of https://router.one/vercel-ai-gateway-alternative for AI assistants and crawlers. Router One is an OpenAI-compatible LLM API gateway.

Vercel AI Gateway is a strong managed gateway, tightly integrated with the Vercel and AI SDK ecosystem. Router One is an OpenAI-compatible LLM API gateway that adds China-reachable access, local and stablecoin payment, and first-class Claude Code & Codex CLI setup through Anthropic-compatible and OpenAI-compatible endpoints for 25+ supported models including GPT, Claude, Gemini, and DeepSeek.

## Where Router One differs

| Feature | Router One | Vercel AI Gateway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Claude Code & Codex CLI | Drop-in ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL / OPENAI_BASE_URL setup | AI SDK and application-focused integration |
| Smart routing & fallback | EWMA latency + posted cost + 5xx rate | Provider routing with fallback options |
| Per-request observability | Full trace per request — model, tokens, cost, latency | Gateway observability in the dashboard |
| OpenAI-compatible API | Yes — Chat Completions, drop-in base URL | Yes — OpenAI-compatible gateway |
| Account requirement | Standalone account — no US card or platform lock-in | Routed through a Vercel account |
| Accessible from Mainland China | China-reachable endpoint with published latency benchmark | Global edge routing; not China-specific |
| Payment methods | WeChat Pay, Alipay, Stripe, USDT/USDC; RMB top-up | Card and credits through a Vercel account |

## Where Router One helps

### China access without VPN

Global edge gateways can be inconsistent from some Mainland China networks. Based on the China latency benchmark last updated 2026-05-15, Router One measured 110-130ms p50 across Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen; individual networks may vary.

### Pay without a foreign card

Top up in RMB with WeChat Pay, Alipay, Stripe, plus USDT and USDC on six chains (Tron, BSC, Ethereum, Polygon, Base, Arbitrum) — from one wallet flow.

### First-class AI coding tools

Claude Code and OpenAI Codex CLI work natively with Router One. Drop-in replacement for ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL and OPENAI_BASE_URL, with automatic failover during upstream outages.

## Switch with one base URL change

Router One speaks the OpenAI Chat Completions API, so most Vercel AI Gateway integrations move with a base URL and key change — including CLI tools that read OPENAI_BASE_URL.

```bash
# Point your client at Router One
export OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://api.router.one/v1
export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-your-router-one-key
```

## FAQ

### Is Router One OpenAI-compatible like Vercel AI Gateway?

Yes. Router One speaks the OpenAI Chat Completions API, so any library or tool that targets an OpenAI-compatible gateway works by changing the base URL.

### Can I migrate from Vercel AI Gateway?

Yes. Update the base URL and API key and you are done. CLI tools and SDKs that read OPENAI_BASE_URL pick up Router One immediately.

### Do I need a Vercel account?

No. Router One is a standalone account with its own wallet and billing, so there is no platform lock-in and no US credit card requirement.

### How does pricing work?

Router One supports pay-per-token wallet billing and live subscription plans. See each model's rate on the models page and current plan options on the pricing page.

## See also

- Canonical page: https://router.one/vercel-ai-gateway-alternative
- Models and per-model token rates: https://router.one/models (markdown: https://router.one/models.md)
- Pricing: https://router.one/pricing
- API docs (markdown): https://router.one/docs.md
- Company facts: https://router.one/facts/company.md