Cheap tokens for AI agents
Agents run in loops and burn tokens around the clock. Point them at a drop-in OpenAI/Anthropic-compatible endpoint and cut the cost ~4×.
Built for token burn
Open-weight models on cost-efficient infrastructure at a fixed USD margin — roughly 4× less per token than OpenRouter. For a daemon making thousands of calls a day, that compounds fast.
Programmatic, drop-in access
Same OpenAI and Anthropic APIs, same models — just a different base URL and key. Pay-as-you-go from a USD balance, so a runaway loop can't run up a surprise bill. No subscriptions, no KYC.
Drop-in: change the base URL
# Point any OpenAI- or Anthropic-compatible agent at cheaptokens
export OPENAI_BASE_URL="https://api.cheaptokens.dev/v1"
export OPENAI_API_KEY="YOUR_CHEAPTOKENS_KEY"
# Anthropic-style agents:
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://api.cheaptokens.dev"The rate your loops multiply
Per-million-token pricing versus OpenRouter on the same models — small per call, large across a loop.
| Model | OpenRouter | cheaptokens | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLM-5.3-Flash temporarily unavailable | $0.048 / $0.20 | $0.027 / $0.08 | ~2× cheaper |
| DeepSeek-V4-Flash temporarily unavailable | $0.016 / $0.64 | $0.0221 / $0.10 | ~4× cheaper |
Same models. USD per 1M tokens (input / output). OpenRouter shown for comparison; savings by blended price (3 parts input to 1 part output). · Open cost calculator
FAQ
Why does agent token cost matter now?
Agentic harnesses pay full API rates after the 2026 subsidy wind-down, and autonomous loops burn tokens fast — fixed cheap per-token keeps that bounded.
How do I cap spend per agent?
Fund a USD balance; when it's spent the key pauses, so an agent can't overrun a budget.
Will it fit my agent framework?
Any OpenAI- or Anthropic-compatible framework works by swapping the base URL.
Related use cases
Scale agents without the bill shock
Create an account, top up with crypto, and point your agents at cheaptokens.
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