Feature comparison
Coverage and terms change. Official sources are linked below; confirm the exact route and account terms before purchasing.
| XinoAPI | OpenRouter | LiteLLM (self-hosted) | Direct (DeepSeek/etc) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model catalog | Published Chinese-model route IDs | Qwen, Z.ai and other families; check catalog | Bring your own provider access | Provider-specific catalog |
| Pricing | Per-model USD snapshot; pending quotes require confirmation | Check model rates and purchase fees | Provider bills plus hosting and operations | Provider account rates |
| Onboarding | Eligible accounts outside mainland China | Check account and regional requirements | You manage access and policy | Depends on provider and region |
| OpenAI-compatible chat | Supported route parameters only | Check per-model parameters | Depends on configured provider | Depends on provider |
| Local privacy tooling | Optional Alpha SDK, evaluated separately | Evaluate compatible client-side tools | Evaluate configured controls | Evaluate compatible client-side tools |
| Gateway HMAC signing | Enterprise option; confirm deployment and plan | Consult provider security documentation | Depends on deployment | Consult provider security documentation |
| Billing and support | One billing account; enterprise evaluation by email | Review current commercial terms | You operate and support the proxy | Review provider-specific commercial terms |
Official comparison sources reviewed October 14, 2026: OpenRouter Qwen, OpenRouter Z.ai, OpenRouter commercial FAQ, and LiteLLM documentation. Listings do not establish availability for every account or region.
Price comparison
Model versions and billing meters change. Review XinoAPI's current route prices and the Baidu Qianfan International price list for the same model and billing item before comparing providers.
Evaluate latency for your workload
No comparative TTFT benchmark is published here. Measure the same model version, region, prompt size, output length, concurrency, cache state, and streaming mode; report P50/P95 latency, error rate, sample size, and test date.
Which one should you pick?
Match your situation to the right choice.
XinoAPI PICK
You primarily use Chinese LLMs and are based outside China.
- Need DeepSeek, Qwen, GLM, Kimi, or MiniMax as main workload
- Need self-service access in a supported region
- Want to evaluate a local Alpha privacy SDK or discuss enterprise gateway signing
- Building agent workflows and concerned about router integrity (see arXiv:2604.08407)
- Want one bill, one API key, five providers
OpenRouter
A broad catalog with Chinese and other model families.
- Main workload is GPT-5, Claude, or Gemini
- Need a model listed in the current official catalog
- Have reviewed the selected route and data policy
- Want provider routing options that fit your workload
LiteLLM (self-hosted)
Enterprise with existing keys and infrastructure team.
- Have existing contracts with each provider
- Can dedicate 1 engineer to ops / maintenance
- Need custom routing logic or region pinning
- Regulated industry requiring on-prem data handling
- Willing to maintain dependencies and security patches
Direct provider APIs
Eligible provider account and a focused model workload.
- Have access to the provider in your region
- Using only one model, no multi-model routing needed
- Can satisfy provider-specific onboarding requirements
- Every millisecond of latency matters
- Can implement your own audit and privacy controls
Migration
For supported OpenAI-compatible routes, update the API key, base URL, and model ID. Verify each route's parameters before production.
From OpenRouter to XinoAPI
from openai import OpenAI # Before client = OpenAI( api_key="sk-or-...", base_url="https://openrouter.ai/api/v1" ) # After client = OpenAI( api_key="xino-...", base_url="https://api.xinoapi.com/v1" ) # Model names: # openrouter → "deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash" # xinoapi → "deepseek-v4-flash-0731"
From direct DeepSeek to XinoAPI
from openai import OpenAI # Before — only DeepSeek, Chinese KYC required client = OpenAI( api_key="sk-...", base_url="https://api.deepseek.com" ) # After — 5 providers, self-service onboarding, one bill client = OpenAI( api_key="xino-...", base_url="https://api.xinoapi.com/v1" ) # Use active model IDs: "deepseek-v4-flash-0731", "deepseek-v4-pro-0813" # Other routes: qwen3.7-plus, glm-5.3, kimi-k2.7-code, MiniMax-M3
Frequently asked questions
Is XinoAPI cheaper than OpenRouter?
It depends on the model and route. XinoAPI adds no separate top-up fee, and selected route prices are under verification. Compare final per-model rates and purchase fees for your workload.
Can I use XinoAPI as a drop-in replacement for the OpenAI SDK?
Yes. The endpoint is OpenAI-compatible — change base_url to https://api.xinoapi.com/v1 and use your XinoAPI key. No other code changes required. Works with OpenAI Python, Node.js, and Go SDKs.
Does OpenRouter have DeepSeek, Qwen, and GLM?
OpenRouter lists Qwen and Z.ai/GLM model families in its official catalog. Compare exact model IDs, versions, providers, prices, and supported regions rather than assuming exclusive coverage. See Qwen and Z.ai.
How do I access DeepSeek API from outside China?
For supported regions, XinoAPI provides an OpenAI-compatible gateway to DeepSeek and other Chinese model families through one API key. Direct provider onboarding, verification, payment support, and regional availability vary by provider.
What is the safest way to use Chinese LLM APIs?
The 2026 study on malicious LLM routers highlights practical router risks such as payload injection and credential exposure. Defense: reduce prompt secrets, use client-side scanning/redaction, review agent tool calls, and prefer gateways with transparent security controls. XinoAPI provides privacy tooling and gateway controls for this workflow.
Does OpenRouter offer streaming (SSE)?
Yes, OpenRouter, XinoAPI, LiteLLM, and all major direct providers support SSE streaming. Set stream=true in your request and handle the event stream as you would with the OpenAI SDK.
Why does self-hosted LiteLLM show "Self-hosted" for pricing?
LiteLLM is open-source software you run on your own infrastructure. There's no per-token fee to LiteLLM itself — you pay whatever the underlying providers charge you directly, plus your infrastructure and operating costs. The tradeoff is you own ops, security patches, and scaling.
Can I migrate from one to another without code changes?
Yes, in most cases only the base_url and api_key change. Model names differ — OpenRouter uses provider/model format while XinoAPI uses active route IDs such as deepseek-v4-flash-0731. Check the available model list before switching.
Which provider is best for agent workflows (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex)?
Evaluate the selected client protocol, tool-call handling, data policy, regional availability, and documented security controls. Local redaction and scanning are separate from gateway delivery signatures. XinoAPI gateway signing requires enterprise deployment and plan confirmation; this page does not establish a security ranking between providers.
Create a free XinoAPI account
Explore published Chinese-model routes, confirm your account quote, and test a small request before moving production traffic.