OpenRouter vs Together AI: routing and API costs

Together AI’s direct GPT-OSS 120B request example costs $0.0021. OpenRouter’s listed NEAR AI route costs $0.00047475 with Standard funding and adds configurable provider selection and fallback.1246

Updated · 6 sources · Methodology

DimensionWinnerMarginEvidence
Funded request costOpenRouter · NEAR AI route4.42×OpenRouter Standard $0.00047475 / Together AI $0.002164
OpenRouter credit-purchase feeTogether AI direct5.5 ppOpenRouter Standard 5.5% / Together AI 0%64
Cross-provider fallbackOpenRouterRouter-managedEligible providers are selected by OpenRouter; the direct API targets one service.2

Response delivery and routing controls

ProviderServing path and request control
OpenRouter · NEAR AI route1A request can pin its upstream provider; fallback eligibility is configured per request.2
Together AI direct4Requests use the Together AI service account and direct API endpoint.5

Prices and request cost

ProviderInput / 1M tokensOutput / 1M tokens
OpenRouter · NEAR AI route1$0.03$0.15
Together AI direct4$0.15$0.6
Product documentationOpenRouter documentationTogether AI documentation
API documentationNovita AI · Chat API
Cost example: 10,000 input + 1,000 billed output tokens
OpenRouter · NEAR AI route$0.00047475
Together AI direct$0.0021

Capabilities and serving conditions

DimensionOpenRouter · NEAR AI routeTogether AI direct
API and model IDhttps://openrouter.ai/api/v13https://api.together.ai/v15
Compared modelopenai/gpt-oss-120b1openai/gpt-oss-120b4
Serving path and request controlA request can pin its upstream provider; fallback eligibility is configured per request.2Requests use the Together AI service account and direct API endpoint.5
Billing basisInput and billed output tokens are metered separately.1Input and billed output tokens are metered separately.4

When each option fits

OpenRouter · NEAR AI route

  • OpenRouter separates provider selection from fallback permission; a direct Together AI request targets Together rather than a router-selected upstream.2
  • A Together AI account avoids OpenRouter’s route-selection step, while an OpenRouter request pinned to Together sacrifices access to cheaper routes.2

Together AI direct

  • Requests use the Together AI service account and direct API endpoint.5
  • Together AI direct access avoids an external routing account; switching to another host requires changing the application’s provider integration.5

Methodology and sources

GPT-OSS 120B: 1 request(s), each with 10,000 uncached input and 1,000 billed output tokens. Official seller tariffs and the named routing path define each price. OpenRouter Standard charges $5.5 when $100 of credits are purchased; allocating that fee over fully consumed credits multiplies routed inference cost by 1.055. Business uses 1.08. The example excludes optional BYOK, tax and unspent balances.

  1. OpenRouter · GPT-OSS 120B route prices
  2. OpenRouter · provider selection and fallbacks
  3. OpenRouter · API quickstart
  4. Together AI · GPT-OSS 120B pricing
  5. Together AI · API compatibility
  6. OpenRouter · Standard and Business credit-purchase fees

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