When OpenRouter is not the best fit
OpenRouter is useful for OpenAI-shaped routing. Claude Code users often care more about Anthropic Messages compatibility, slash-command diagnostics, and exact Claude model defaults.
OpenRouter alternative
An OpenRouter alternative built for Claude Code.
Claude Code is not just another OpenAI-compatible client. It benefits from native Anthropic Messages semantics, which Aiduct exposes directly alongside OpenAI-compatible routes.
AIDUCT CLAUDE CODE ROUTE
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://api.aiduct.ai export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=sk-aiduct-... claude
MARKUP
$0
PROTOCOL
Native Messages
TOP-UP
No minimum
Why Aiduct is cleaner for Claude Code
Aiduct keeps Claude Code on a Claude-native endpoint while still giving you one dashboard, one key, and the option to use OpenAI SDK routes elsewhere.
Comparison
| AREA | AIDUCT | ALTERNATIVE |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code protocol | Native Anthropic Messages | OpenAI-style routing focus |
| Credit purchase surcharge | $0 markup | OpenRouter-style credit surcharge |
| Debugging | Usage records with request ids | Provider-dependent routing logs |
FAQ
Is Aiduct a direct OpenRouter replacement for Claude Code?+
Yes for Claude Code workflows that need a third-party endpoint and usage-based billing.
Can I still use OpenAI-compatible APIs?+
Yes. Aiduct also exposes OpenAI-compatible /v1 routes for chat, responses, images, audio, video, and embeddings.
Does Aiduct add a credit surcharge?+
No. Aiduct is designed around $0 markup on upstream usage.