Google Gemini API vs OpenRouter
LLM API Providers pricing comparison · 2026
Google Gemini API pricing ranges from $0–$18/per million tokens, while OpenRouter ranges from $0–$75/per million tokens. OpenRouter is typically 78% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.
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Google Gemini API and OpenRouter are two leading LLM API providers. This page compares their per-token pricing, available models, and tier structure so you can pick the right backend for your workload — whether you're optimizing for cost per 1M tokens, latency, or model quality.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | Google Gemini API | OpenRouter |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free /month | Free /month |
| Flash-Lite (Paid) | Custom | Custom |
| Flash (Paid) | Custom | — |
| Pro (Paid) | Custom | — |
Contract Terms
| Term | Google Gemini API | OpenRouter |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | No | No |
| Cancellation | Not applicable — pay-per-use, no subscription contract | Not applicable — pay-as-you-go credits, no subscription |
| Minimum commitment | None — pay-per-use | None |
| Price escalation | No published price escalation schedule; Google may change per-token rates with notice | No published schedule; per-token rates are set by underlying providers and may change without notice |
| Can downgrade | Yes | Yes |