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OpenAI API Alternative — Same SDK, Flat Plans

Keep the OpenAI SDK, change base_url and the key. Chat completions on open-weight and third-party LLMs, plus image, video and speech generation on the same ModelsLab key. Flat monthly plans per category.

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Why Teams Look for an OpenAI API Alternative

Three Reasons, Usually

Teams searching for an OpenAI API alternative tend to want one of three things: open-weight models they can inspect and, if needed, run themselves; predictable monthly cost instead of a per-token bill that moves with traffic; or image, video and speech generation that OpenAI’s API does not cover in the same breadth. ModelsLab answers all three on one key.

The LLM endpoint is OpenAI-compatible, so the chat layer does not need a rewrite. Everything else — 10,000+ image models at a flat $0.0047 per image, video generation with Kling, Veo, Wan and Seedance, text to speech and voice cloning in 40+ languages — is a separate endpoint on the same account and the same key.

What Stays the Same

The OpenAI Python and JavaScript SDKs, the `messages` array, streaming, `temperature` and `max_tokens`. Point `base_url` at https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm, pass your ModelsLab key, and set `model` to any LLM in the catalogue — DeepSeek V4 and R1, Llama, Qwen, Mistral and more.

  • OpenAI-compatible /chat/completions with streaming
  • Anthropic-style /messages endpoint as well
  • Per-million-token LLM pricing shown on each model page
  • Image generation at a flat $0.0047 per image
  • Video, speech and voice cloning on the same key
  • Flat monthly plans per category, no seat fees

What Maps to What

The OpenAI surfaces most integrations use, and the ModelsLab endpoint that replaces each.

OpenAI surfaceModelsLab endpointNotes
chat.completions.createPOST /api/v7/llm/chat/completionsSame request and response shape
Streaming chatPOST /api/v7/llm/chat/completions with stream: trueServer-sent events, unchanged
Images (DALL·E / gpt-image)POST /api/v7/images/text-to-image10,000+ models, flat $0.0047 per image
Image editsPOST /api/v6/image_editing/*Inpaint, outpaint, remove, replace, upscale
Audio speechPOST /api/v6/voice/text_to_audio40+ languages, voice cloning included
Video (Sora)POST /api/v7/video-fusion/text-to-videoKling, Veo, Wan, Seedance, Minimax by model_id

Chat completions use the OpenAI request and response shape. Image, video and speech use the ModelsLab shape documented on each product page.

Switch in two lines

The OpenAI client with a different base_url, then the image and speech endpoints on the same key.

Python — the OpenAI SDK against ModelsLab

Python
1from openai import OpenAI
2

3client = OpenAI(
4    api_key="YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY",
5    base_url="https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm",
6)
7

8response = client.chat.completions.create(
9    model="deepseek-deepseek-v4-flash-latest",
10    temperature=0.2,
11    max_tokens=600,
12    messages=[
13        {"role": "system", "content": "You are a concise technical writer."},
14        {"role": "user", "content": "Summarise the retry policy in three bullets."},
15    ],
16)
17

18print(response.choices[0].message.content)

JavaScript — image generation on the same key

JavaScript
1const response = await fetch(
2  'https://modelslab.com/api/v7/images/text-to-image',
3  {
4    method: 'POST',
5    headers: {
6      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
7      Authorization: 'Bearer YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY',
8    },
9    body: JSON.stringify({
10      model_id: 'flux',
11      prompt: 'isometric illustration of a data centre, soft palette',
12      width: 1024,
13      height: 1024,
14      samples: 1,
15    }),
16  },
17);
18

19const { output } = await response.json();
20console.log(output[0]);

cURL — streaming chat

bash
1curl https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm/chat/completions \
2  -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY' \
3  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
4  -d '{
5    "model": "deepseek-deepseek-v4-flash-latest",
6    "stream": true,
7    "messages": [
8      {"role": "user", "content": "Explain idempotency keys in two sentences."}
9    ]
10  }'

Move Off the OpenAI API in 3 Steps

No rewrite of the chat layer.

STEP 01
STEP 01

Step 1: Get Your API Key

Create a ModelsLab account, subscribe to the plan for the category you need — image from $21/month, video from $21, audio from $12 — and copy your key.

STEP 02
STEP 02

Step 2: Point the Client at ModelsLab

Set base_url to https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm in the OpenAI client and pass your ModelsLab key. Chat completions and streaming work unchanged.

STEP 03
STEP 03

Step 3: Pick a Model, Add the Other Modalities

Set model to any LLM in the catalogue, then use /api/v7/images/text-to-image, /api/v7/video-fusion/text-to-video and /api/v6/voice/text_to_audio on the same key.

Get API Key

Related guides

DeepSeek API

V4, V3 and R1 through the OpenAI-compatible endpoint, with per-token pricing.

ChatGPT Image Generation API

Moving chat-style image prompting onto a repeatable API integration.

Image Generation API

10,000+ models on one endpoint at a flat $0.0047 per image.

Pricing Shape

ModelsLab sells flat monthly plans per category: image from $21/month for 3,250 API calls ($149 unlimited on open-weight models), video from $21/month, audio from $12/month. LLM usage is billed per million tokens at the rate on each model page — DeepSeek V4 Flash was listed from $0.07 per million tokens in September 2026. There are no seat or platform fees.

What We Do Not Claim

This page does not publish OpenAI’s prices or benchmark numbers, because we cannot verify them from here and they change. Compare the model page rates with your own OpenAI invoice; the endpoint mapping above is what makes that comparison a two-line change to test.

What You Get Instead

Key advantages that set us apart

OpenAI-compatible chat completions with streaming
Open-weight and third-party LLMs by model name
Image generation at a flat $0.0047 per image
Video, speech and voice cloning on the same key
Flat monthly plans per category
Per-million-token LLM rates on every model page
No cold starts on self-hosted models
Dedicated deployments for isolated capacity

Our Popular Use Cases

Where teams move first:

Route high-volume, low-stakes prompts to a cheaper open-weight model by changing the model name.

Cost-Sensitive Chat Features

OpenAI API Alternative FAQ

Yes. Point base_url at https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm and keep the OpenAI client. Chat completions, streaming and the messages format work unchanged; only the model name and the API key differ.

Open-weight and third-party LLMs including DeepSeek V4 and R1, Llama, Qwen and Mistral families, selected by model on the same /chat/completions endpoint. Prices are per million tokens and shown on each model page.

POST https://modelslab.com/api/v7/images/text-to-image with any of 10,000+ models including Flux and SDXL. Image generation is a flat $0.0047 per image on image plans from $21/month.

ModelsLab sells flat monthly plans per category — image from $21, video from $21, audio from $12 — and bills LLM usage per million tokens at the rate listed on each model page. There are no separate seat or platform fees.

No. ModelsLab is a paid service. Creating an account is free, but generating anything requires an active plan for that category.

Yes. The open-weight models are hosted on ModelsLab GPUs with no cold starts, and dedicated deployments are available for teams that need isolated capacity.

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AI Image API Pricing Starting at $0.0047 Per Image

ModelsLab offers subscription plans from $21/month (Basic) and $47/month (Standard, 10,000 API calls) to $149/month (Open Source Unlimited). All plans include access to Flux, SDXL, Stable Diffusion 3, and 10,000+ community models. Choose a paid plan, cancel anytime, 100% refund policy.

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We are making some changes to our pricing, please check back later.

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Yes. Point `base_url` at https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm and keep the OpenAI client. Chat completions, streaming and the messages format work unchanged; only the `model` name and the API key differ.

Open-weight and third-party LLMs including DeepSeek V4 and R1, Llama, Qwen and Mistral families, selected by `model` on the same /chat/completions endpoint. Prices are per million tokens and shown on each model page.

POST https://modelslab.com/api/v7/images/text-to-image with any of 10,000+ models including Flux and SDXL. Image generation is a flat $0.0047 per image on image plans from $21/month.

ModelsLab sells flat monthly plans per category — image from $21, video from $21, audio from $12 — and bills LLM usage per million tokens at the rate listed on each model page. There are no separate seat or platform fees.

No. ModelsLab is a paid service. Creating an account is free, but generating anything requires an active plan for that category.

Yes. The open-weight models are hosted on ModelsLab GPUs with no cold starts, and dedicated deployments are available for teams that need isolated capacity.

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