Best AI APIs for Indie Developers
LLM APIs with the best documentation, pricing, and developer experience for solo builders and small teams.
Top picks
ChatGPT
Conversational AI by OpenAI
Claude
AI assistant by Anthropic
Google Gemini
Multimodal AI by Google
OpenAI API
GPT models via API
Anthropic API
Claude models via API
Groq
Ultra-fast LLM inference
Together AI
Open-source model hosting at scale
OpenRouter
One API for all LLMs
Replicate
Run ML models with one API
Fireworks AI
Fast fine-tuned model inference
Ollama
Run LLMs locally on your machine
FAQ
Which AI API is cheapest?
Groq offers a generous free tier with ultra-fast inference. Together AI and OpenRouter provide pay-as-you-go pricing with no minimums. Ollama is free if you run models locally.
What is an AI API gateway?
OpenRouter is an AI API gateway that gives you one unified API for 300+ models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and others. You can route by price, quality, or set up fallback chains.
Do I need to pay for multiple AI APIs?
No. OpenRouter and similar gateways let you access all major models through a single API key and billing account, often at the same or lower price.
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