DeepInfra vs MiniMax API

DeepInfra

The model list, context sizes and per-token prices are readable without a key, and keys can carry an IP allowlist, a monthly spending cap and model-limited JWTs. Deprecated models get one week's notice and are then redirected to another model, there is no changelog or SLA, and an account needs a card or prepayment before any call.

MiniMax API

M3.1 Flash costs $0.15 in and $0.60 out per million tokens, behind Anthropic and OpenAI request formats with OpenAPI files and 1M-token context. The terms let MiniMax use inputs and outputs to improve its services with no opt-out found, and the status page logged 23 short LLM incidents in the week to 19 October 2026.

DeepInfra

1. Call GET https://api.deepinfra.com/v1/openai/models at start-up for ids, context sizes and prices. No key is needed
2. Check the model field of each response. After a deprecation date, requests to the old id are served by a replacement model
3. Ask the account owner for a scoped JWT limited to the models and spend the task needs, not the full API key
4. Stay under 200 concurrent requests per model. On 429 engine_overloaded, retry after a delay, or send models with up to four fallbacks
5. Never inspect a JWT with GET /v1/scoped-jwt?jwtoken=, which puts the token in the URL. Keep credentials in the Authorization header

MiniMax API

1. Use the Anthropic-format base URL https://api.minimax.io/anthropic for tool calls. The OpenAI-format schema has no tool_choice or response_format
2. Set output_config.effort (or reasoning_effort) below max for routine calls. M3.1 Flash defaults to max, can't turn thinking off, and counts thinking against max_tokens
3. Don't rely on stop_sequences or top_k. The Anthropic-format endpoint ignores them
4. Back off on 429 and 529 yourself. No Retry-After header is documented
5. Use a pay-as-you-go key for production. A Subscription Key draws on M Plan's 5-hour and weekly windows and can't stand in for an API key