About Tool

Cheap AI is a platform built to make LLM-based applications more affordable by aggregating and routing inference requests through cost-efficient open-source models. Instead of relying solely on expensive proprietary APIs, users can plug into a single endpoint that dynamically selects the best model and routing based on cost and performance. This solves the problem of high token costs for startups, researchers and developers experimenting with AI at scale. With simple SDKs and transparent pricing, Cheap AI aims to democratize access to AI so that cost is no longer a barrier for building intelligent applications.

Key Features

• Unified API endpoint supporting multiple open-source models.
• Transparent per-token pricing with significant cost savings vs major providers.
• SDKs examples (Python, TypeScript) for easy integration.
• Dynamic fallback routing to select best model based on cost/availability.
• Dashboard and billing overview for monitoring token usage and cost-efficiency.

Pros:

• Enables dramatic cost reductions for LLM inference compared to high-end providers.
• Easy to integrate with existing workflows via standard SDKs or API endpoints.
• Flexible model selection without switchover overhead for developers.
• Ideal for experimentation, prototyping or startup use where cost matters.

Cons:

• Because it uses various open-source models, performance or feature parity with premium models may vary.
• Users may need to evaluate model suitability (quality, latency) for their specific tasks.
• For enterprise-scale or highly optimized use-cases, the “cheap” models might lack advanced capabilities or support.

Who is Using?

Cheap AI is aimed at developers, startups, researchers, and makers who need to build LLM-powered services but want to keep costs manageable. It’s particularly useful for prototype phases, academic projects, side-hustle AI tools, and teams experimenting with AI applications before scaling into premium model usage.

Pricing

Cheap AI follows a pay-as-you-go token pricing model. Example model rates: for “deepseek/deepseek-chat-v3-0324” input tokens cost ~$0.24 per million and output tokens ~$0.99 per million. Pricing is published and open, allowing cost-comparison and planning.

What Makes It Unique?

Cheap AI stands out by combining cost-optimized model inference with a single unified API removing the need to switch between multiple providers or APIs. Its focus on routing to the most affordable model by default lowers the barrier for AI projects, especially those sensitive to token cost, making it unique in the startup/experiment market.

How We Rated It:

• Ease of Use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
• Features: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
• Value for Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

If you’re looking to build an AI-powered prototype or keep your LLM token costs under control, Cheap AI is definitely worth checking out. It’s especially suited for startups, researchers, or developers who want access to large-language-models without the premium price tag. While it may not always match the highest-end models in every nuance, its cost-efficiency and ease of integration make it a smart choice for many applications.