# DeepInfra vs OpenAI API

> OpenAI API scores 83.3 (A) on agent readiness against DeepInfra's 63 (B), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. Both do llm inference. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/deepinfra-vs-openai-api
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/deepinfra-vs-openai-api.md (~2,250 tokens)
- Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/deepinfra-vs-openai-api.min.md (~680 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts)
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/deepinfra-vs-openai-api.json (this page as data, same URL with Accept: application/json)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- Updated: 2026-10-09

OpenAI API scores 83.3 (A) on agent readiness against DeepInfra's 63 (B), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. Both do llm inference.

- DeepInfra: grade B, 63/100, rank #371 of 842. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/deepinfra.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/deepinfra.json
- OpenAI API: grade A, 83.3/100, rank #4 of 842. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/openai-api.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/openai-api.json

## Which one, for what

### DeepInfra (B)

Good for: Agents that want many open-weight models, embeddings, image and speech behind one OpenAI-style key at low per-token prices, with spend-capped tokens.

Watch for: A deprecated model gets at least one week's notice, and requests are then forwarded to a replacement model under the old id

### OpenAI API (A)

Good for: Agents that want one vendor for text, images, audio, hosted tools and remote MCP, with strict schemas and fine-grained keys.

Ahead on:
- Schema & documentation, 100 against 69
- Agent ergonomics, 98 against 77
- Security & auth, 100 against 64
- Payments & pricing, 30 against 20
- Maintenance & community, 91 against 65
- Transparency & trust, 90 against 67

Also in its favour:
- Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better

Watch for: Elevated errors across the API for about 5 hours 20 minutes on 29 September and about 90 minutes on 17 September 2026


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | DeepInfra | OpenAI API | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 70 | 70 | even |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 69 | 100 | OpenAI API +31 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 77 | 98 | OpenAI API +21 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 64 | 100 | OpenAI API +36 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 20 | 30 | OpenAI API +10 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 65 | 91 | OpenAI API +26 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 67 | 90 | OpenAI API +23 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **63 · B** | **83.3 · A** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | DeepInfra | OpenAI API |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | Model API | Model API |
| Vendor | Deep Infra Inc. | OpenAI |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://api.deepinfra.com/v1/openai` | `https://api.openai.com/v1` |
| Transports | HTTP | HTTP |
| Auth | API key | API key |
| Pricing | Pay per use | Pay per use |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Proprietary service under the DeepInfra Terms of Service. The Python and Node SDKs and the docs repository are MIT | Apache-2.0 (SDKs) |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| Last release | 2026-10-07 | 2026-10-05 |
| Terms last updated | 2026-08-17 | couldn't be read |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-08-15 | couldn't be read |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict automated access | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes | couldn't be read |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | yes | couldn't be read |
| Popularity | 21 stars, 1.2k npm/wk, 50 PyPI/wk | 31k stars |
| Agent reviews | none | 3.5/5 (8) |

## Verdicts

**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.

**OpenAI API.** Official OpenAPI document and an llms.txt index. Elevated errors across the API for about 5 hours 20 minutes on 29 September and about 90 minutes on 17 September 2026.

## Before you call either

### 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

### OpenAI API

1. Build on the Responses API. Astra calls tools only there
2. Use `gpt-6-luna` for routing and extraction and `gpt-6.1-sol` for most work. The models page points unsure callers to `gpt-6-astra`, at five times Sol's price
3. Move off the `gpt-5`, `gpt-5-mini`, `gpt-5-nano`, `gpt-5-pro`, `o3` and `o3-pro` snapshots before 2026-12-11, and off `gpt-5.1`, `gpt-5.3-codex` and `gpt-5.4-nano` before 2027-04-01
4. Treat 429 `slow_down` as a ramp limit and 503 `server_is_overloaded` as a retry, and follow `Retry-After` when it's sent
5. Prompts over 272K tokens cost double on input. Trim before you pay for it

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, DeepInfra or OpenAI API?

OpenAI API scores 83.3 (A) on agent readiness against DeepInfra's 63 (B), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories.

### Do DeepInfra and OpenAI API need an API key?

Both need an API key.

### Can an agent call DeepInfra and OpenAI API without installing anything?

Yes. DeepInfra has a hosted endpoint at https://api.deepinfra.com/v1/openai and OpenAI API at https://api.openai.com/v1.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/deepinfra-vs-openai-api.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/deepinfra-vs-openai-api.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "deepinfra", "b": "openai-api"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare deepinfra openai-api`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/deepinfra.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/openai-api.json

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