OpenRouter is a popular AI API gateway that provides access to multiple AI models through a unified API. NovAI does the same thing — but with a focus on Chinese AI models and Hong Kong-based infrastructure.
| Feature | NovAI | OpenRouter |
|---|---|---|
| DeepSeek-v3.2 Price | $0.20 / $0.40 | $0.20 / $0.40 |
| GLM-4.6V Price | $0.40 / $1.20 | $0.38 / $1.98 |
| Free Model | GLM-4.6V-Flash | Limited free tier |
| Latency (Asia) | <80ms | ~300ms |
| Server Location | Hong Kong | US |
| Payment | USDT (TRC20) | Credit Card / Crypto |
| OpenAI Compatible | Yes | Yes |
| MiniMax-Text-01 | $0.20 / $1.60 | $0.20 / $1.10 |
Latency. This is the biggest differentiator. If you’re building real-time applications — chatbots, coding assistants, interactive tools — the 3x latency advantage is huge. Users notice the difference between 80ms and 300ms first-token time.
GLM-4.6V output pricing. NovAI charges $1.20/1M output tokens for GLM-4.6V, while OpenRouter charges $1.98 — that’s 40% cheaper.
Free tier. GLM-4.6V-Flash is completely free on NovAI with no catch.
Model variety. OpenRouter offers access to dozens of models including GPT, GPT-4, Gemini, and more. NovAI currently focuses on Chinese AI models (DeepSeek, GLM, MiniMax).
MiniMax pricing. OpenRouter’s MiniMax output price ($1.10) is lower than NovAI ($1.60).
If you primarily use Chinese AI models (especially DeepSeek) and need the lowest latency, NovAI is the better choice. If you need access to Western models like GPT or GPT-4, OpenRouter has broader coverage.
The good news: you can use both. They both use OpenAI-compatible APIs, so switching between them is just a base URL change.
$5 credit for new users · No card required · OpenAI-compatible API
Same price as OpenRouter, 3x faster for Chinese AI models. Free model included.
Get Started Free →Get started in 30 seconds. No credit card required.
Access DeepSeek, Qwen, Doubao, GLM at the cheapest price. OpenAI-compatible. No credit card required.
🚀 Sign Up Free — Get $2.00 CreditOpenAI-compatible API — just change base_url and your API key
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