2 measured metrics · 1 study
OpenRoutervsOpenAI
No row separates them: 2 ties.
The verdict
OpenRouter and OpenAI share 2 reported list prices from one study. No row names a winner: a reported list price has no interval, so each gap is stated, not ranked. Prices change often; the snapshot date is in each row’s context. The rows are 2 ties; each row says why.
Headline metrics
How far apart the two sides are on the headline metrics. Length is the ratio of the two values; it is not a winner.
Bar length is the ratio of the two values on a log scale, pointing to the larger one. Larger is not better for time, tokens or cost. A bar has a side’s color only when that side is ahead in the data; gray means the data does not separate them.
| Metric | OpenRouter | OpenAI | n | Interval or range | Outcome | Basis | Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-6 Luna: OpenRouter vs OpenAI list price (Input) | $0.10GPT-6 Luna · list price, snapshot 2026-10-06 | $0.10first-party list price · GPT-6 Luna · list price, snapshot 2026-10-06 | — | none recorded | Tie | Same reported list price. | Inference provider index: 27 models, 52 providers |
| GPT-6 Luna: OpenRouter vs OpenAI list price (Output) | $0.50GPT-6 Luna · list price, snapshot 2026-10-06 | $0.50first-party list price · GPT-6 Luna · list price, snapshot 2026-10-06 | — | none recorded | Tie | Same reported list price. | Inference provider index: 27 models, 52 providers |
n is shown per side on every row
2 headline metrics as the ratio of the two values. None of them separates the sides in the data.
Metric by metric
Both values of a row come from the same chart in the same study. Each row has its own axis. The shaded band is where the two intervals or ranges overlap: a side is ahead only when they do not.
- OpenRouter
- OpenAI
- where the two overlap
Inference provider index: 27 models, 52 providers
- GPT-6 Luna: OpenRouter vs OpenAI list price (Input)$0.10$0.10TieGPT-6 Luna: OpenRouter vs OpenAI list price (Input): OpenRouter $0.10; OpenAI $0.10. Tie.
- GPT-6 Luna: OpenRouter vs OpenAI list price (Output)$0.50$0.50TieGPT-6 Luna: OpenRouter vs OpenAI list price (Output): OpenRouter $0.50; OpenAI $0.50. Tie.
| Metric | OpenRouter | OpenAI | n | Interval or range | Outcome | Basis | Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-6 Luna: OpenRouter vs OpenAI list price (Input) | $0.10GPT-6 Luna · list price, snapshot 2026-10-06 | $0.10first-party list price · GPT-6 Luna · list price, snapshot 2026-10-06 | — | none recorded | Tie | Same reported list price. | Inference provider index: 27 models, 52 providers |
| GPT-6 Luna: OpenRouter vs OpenAI list price (Output) | $0.50GPT-6 Luna · list price, snapshot 2026-10-06 | $0.50first-party list price · GPT-6 Luna · list price, snapshot 2026-10-06 | — | none recorded | Tie | Same reported list price. | Inference provider index: 27 models, 52 providers |
n is shown per side on every row
2 rows from 1 study. No row separates them: 2 ties.
When to pick which
Only from the rows above. A tie is not a reason to pick either side.
When to pick OpenRouter
No row in this data puts OpenRouter ahead of OpenAI. Pick on other grounds (price, access, the tasks you run), or measure your own workload.
When to pick OpenAI
No row in this data puts OpenAI ahead of OpenRouter. Pick on other grounds (price, access, the tasks you run), or measure your own workload.
Side by side
The study charts, showing only these two. Open a study for every configuration.
- Input
- Output (square)
Gap labels, Output vs Input: Output is x% higher (+) or lower (−) than Input, calculated from the two values shown (the change counted from Input’s value).
| Item | Input | Output |
|---|---|---|
| OpenRouter | $0.1 | $0.5 |
| OpenAI (first-party list price) | $0.1 | $0.5 |
Third-party reported values. 2 rows, 2 series: Input, Output. Input: all at $0.1. Output: all at $0.5.
Notes
USD per million tokens, before any credit-purchase fee
OpenRouter price reported by OpenRouter’s public API, snapshot 2026-10-06. OpenAI price from the vendor’s published list price as recorded in the product price table. OpenRouter charges a 5.5% fee when credits are bought, not per request; the markup chart shows the price with that fee.
Sources: OpenRouter public API: models and provider endpoints (snapshot), OpenAI list prices
How a row is called
- AheadThe 95% intervals do not overlap, or the run ranges or p50–p95 bands do not overlap with at least 5 runs per side.
- TieThe values match, or both sit at the same ceiling.
- UnclearThe intervals or ranges overlap, too few runs were recorded, no interval was recorded, or more is not better (token counts are never a win).
- CalculationDerived from list prices and recorded counts. Not a bill and not a run.
The dataset compiler makes every call; this page only draws it. No composite score, no rank.
Questions
- Which is better, OpenRouter or OpenAI?
- OpenRouter and OpenAI share 2 reported list prices from one study. No row names a winner: a reported list price has no interval, so each gap is stated, not ranked. Prices change often; the snapshot date is in each row’s context. The rows are 2 ties; each row says why.
- How were OpenRouter and OpenAI measured?
- They share 2 measured metrics from 1 public study: Inference provider index: 27 models, 52 providers. Every row names its configuration, its sample size and its interval or range.
- How do OpenRouter and OpenAI compare on gPT-6 Luna: OpenRouter vs OpenAI list price (Input)?
- OpenRouter: $0.10 (GPT-6 Luna · list price, snapshot 2026-10-06). OpenAI: $0.10 (first-party list price · GPT-6 Luna · list price, snapshot 2026-10-06). Same reported list price.
- How do OpenRouter and OpenAI compare on gPT-6 Luna: OpenRouter vs OpenAI list price (Output)?
- OpenRouter: $0.50 (GPT-6 Luna · list price, snapshot 2026-10-06). OpenAI: $0.50 (first-party list price · GPT-6 Luna · list price, snapshot 2026-10-06). Same reported list price.
The studies behind this page
Inference provider index: 27 models, 52 providers
Price per million tokens for 27 models across 52 providers, the spread between them and OpenRouter’s markup over first-party prices.