Learn how to use OpenRouter with Cline to access a wide variety of language models through a single API.
OpenRouter is an AI platform that provides access to a wide variety of language models from different providers, all through a single API. This can simplify setup and allow you to easily experiment with different models.Website:https://openrouter.ai/
OpenRouter supports a large and growing number of models. Cline automatically fetches the list of available models. Refer to the OpenRouter Models page for the complete and up-to-date list.
Open Cline Settings: Click the settings icon (⚙️) in the Cline panel.
Select Provider: Choose “OpenRouter” from the “API Provider” dropdown.
Enter API Key: Paste your OpenRouter API key into the “OpenRouter API Key” field.
Select Model: Choose your desired model from the “Model” dropdown.
(Optional) Custom Base URL: If you need to use a custom base URL for the OpenRouter API, check “Use custom base URL” and enter the URL. Leave this blank for most users.
OpenRouter provides an optional “middle-out” message transform to help with prompts that exceed the maximum context size of a model. You can enable it by checking the “Compress prompts and message chains to the context size” box.
Model Selection: OpenRouter offers a wide range of models. Experiment to find the best one for your needs.
Pricing: OpenRouter charges based on the underlying model’s pricing. See the OpenRouter Models page for details.
Prompt Caching:
OpenRouter passes caching requests to underlying models that support it. Check the OpenRouter Models page to see which models offer caching.
For most models, caching should activate automatically if supported by the model itself (similar to how Requesty works).
Exception for Gemini Models via OpenRouter: Due to potential response delays sometimes observed with Google’s caching mechanism when accessed via OpenRouter, a manual activation step is required specifically for Gemini models.
If using a Gemini model via OpenRouter, you must manually check the “Enable Prompt Caching” box in the provider settings to activate caching for that model. This checkbox serves as a temporary workaround. For non-Gemini models on OpenRouter, this checkbox is not necessary for caching.