OpenRouter Recharge Guide: How to Use Alipay and WeChat Payment

Background: OpenRouter and its payment options

OpenRouter provides an integrated platform that allows developers and users to access multiple large-scale language models from different providers through a unified API interface. For users wishing to take advantage of these advanced AI capabilities, funding an account is a necessary step to use the paid models. It is worth noting that OpenRouter has recently supported top-ups via Alipay and WeChat Pay, which is a great convenience for those who do not have an international credit card or prefer to use local payment methods. In this article, we will explain in detail how to fund your OpenRouter account using Alipay or WeChat Pay and analyze the fee structure.

I. Checking account balances

Users can check their current account balance before recharging.

1. Visit the official OpenRouter website and log in to your account.
2. Navigate to the Account Balance page: you can go directly to https://openrouter.ai/credits.
3. Alternatively, hover your mouse pointer over your personal avatar in the upper right corner of the page, and from the pop-up menu, select Credits Options.

This page will clearly display the current amount available for the account.

II. Initiate the recharge process

1. exist Credits page, click the "Add Credits" button.
2. If the account is not yet bound to any payment method, the system will prompt to add a Payment Method.

   

3. On this screen, check the "Use checkout page" option. The page will be updated to show the following:

   

   The page prompts some important information, summarized below:

   • The payment link generated on the checkout page is valid for 30 minutes.
   • The final Credits credited to the account will be the net value of the amount paid minus the associated transaction fees.
   • The Platform is not responsible for any loss of funds that may result from the use of this feature.
4. Check the "Send me invoices" box if you want to receive billing emails.
5. Click on the "Get Payment Link" button. Wait a moment and the button will change to "Buy Credits".

   

6. Click the "Buy Credits" button and you will be redirected to the Stripe payment gateway page.

   

   • Left side of the page: Displays the default or last set recharge amount. To change it, click on "Change amount" and enter the desired amount.
   • Right side of the page: Show available payment methods.
7. Select a payment method:
   • Alipay is usually displayed directly.
   • WeChat Pay may be hidden under the "More payment methods" option, click to expand it.
   • option Alipay (Take Alipay as an example).
8. Fill in the billing address information.

   

9. Check the checkbox "I agree to OpenRouter ..." to agree to the OpenRouter Terms of Service.
10. Click on the button labeled with the payment amount (e.g. "Pay $5.00 + tax") and the page will jump to the Alipay cashier.

    

11. Open the Alipay app on your phone and scan the QR code displayed on the page to complete the payment.

III. Confirmation of top-up to the account

Once the payment is complete, the user should return to OpenRouter's Account Balance page (https://openrouter.ai/credits) to check if the recharge was successfully credited.

at the bottom of the page PAYMENT HISTORY The section will show the most recent transaction history. Confirm that the top-up amount (after deduction of handling fees) has been correctly added to the account balance.

IV. Understanding the fee structure

Users may notice that the amount recharged is not the same as the actual arrival of the Credits This is because OpenRouter charges a transaction processing fee. For example, a recharge of $5.00 may actually arrive at $4.40. This is because OpenRouter charges a transaction processing fee.

Its charging strategy is clearly publicized as:

• Recharge Fee: 5% of the recharge amount.
• Fixed transaction fee: $0.35 per transaction.

Therefore, the actual amount on hand is calculated:
Final credit amount = Recharge amount - (Recharge amount × 5% + $0.35)

Take the recharge of $5.00 as an example:
Final amount posted = $5.00 - ($5.00 × 0.05 + $0.35) = $5.00 - ($0.25 + $0.35) = $5.00 - $0.60 = $4.40

This transparent and relatively simple pricing structure is a hallmark of OpenRouter, allowing users to clearly understand the cost components. The platform's primary business model is to maintain operations by charging these transaction fees while keeping model usage costs in line with upstream vendors.

V. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How can I check my account balance again?
After logging in to OpenRouter, click on the User Settings icon in the upper right corner (usually cogwheel shaped), and select the Credits menu item. Or just type in the address bar of your browser https://openrouter.ai/settings/creditsThe

2. Do account credits expire?
According to OpenRouter's official description, the platform reserves the right to make unused Credits Expired rights. This policy may be aimed at encouraging users to be active with the service and covering the cost of managing chronically inactive accounts, while preventing the platform's resources from being tied up for long periods of time.

3. Can I request a refund of my unused balance?
Normally, no refunds will be made on unused balances that have been recharged.

4. What is OpenRouter's refund policy?

• timeliness: Users can request a refund within 24 hours of recharging. After 24 hours, refunds cannot be processed.
• How to apply: Refund requests must be emailed to support@openrouter.ai Presented.
• Deduction of expenses: The refund amount will be the net of the original amount paid by the User minus the platform fees charged by OpenRouter (i.e. 5% Recharge Processing Fee and $0.35 Fixed Transaction Fee). These platform fees are non-refundable.
• special case: No refund requests will be accepted for top-ups made through cryptocurrencies due to their transactional nature.

The above information is intended to help users smoothly fund their OpenRouter accounts using Alipay or WeChat, and understand the associated fees and policies.