Vercel AI Gateway - Unified AI Model Access Gateway
đ Basic Information
Provider Name: Vercel
Product Name: Vercel AI Gateway
Official Website: https://vercel.com/ai-gateway
Type: Free Trial ($5 free credits per month)
đĸ Provider Introduction
Vercel AI Gateway is a unified AI model access gateway provided by Vercel, allowing developers to conveniently access hundreds of models from multiple AI providers through a single interface.
Core Features
- đ Unified Interface - Access all models through one endpoint without managing multiple API keys
- đ Automatic Failover - Automatically switches when a provider fails, ensuring high availability
- đ° Transparent Pricing - Based on upstream provider list prices with no additional markup
- đ BYOK Support - Use your own API keys with zero markup
- ⥠High Concurrency - Vercel sets no rate limits; performance determined by upstream providers
- đ Unified Billing - All costs settled through a single source
Recommendation Index: ââââ
Technical Advantages
The main advantages of Vercel AI Gateway include:
- Simplified Integration - Unified interface significantly reduces multi-model integration complexity
- Flexible Switching - Easily switch between different providers and models
- High Availability - Automatic failover ensures service continuity
- Cost Transparency - No hidden fees; all prices based on upstream providers
đ Provided Services
Vercel AI Gateway provides the following services for developers:
API Service
Features:
- Unified API endpoint
- Supports multiple providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, xAI, etc.)
- Automatic failover
- Transparent pricing with no markup
Note: Vercel AI Gateway does not provide a standalone Chatbot interface, but developers can use its API service to build their own chatbot applications. Vercel provides an open-source AI Chatbot Template for reference.
đ How to Get Started
Registration Requirements
| Requirement | Mandatory | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vercel Account | â Yes | Vercel account required |
| Email Verification | â Yes | Email required during registration |
| Phone Verification | â No | Usually not required |
| Credit Card | â No | Not required for free credits, required for paid usage |
Registration Steps
Visit Vercel and Register
Open your browser, visit https://vercel.com, and click the “Sign Up” button in the upper right corner.
Choose Registration Method
You can register using the following methods:
- GitHub account (recommended)
- GitLab account
- Bitbucket account
- Email registration
Create Team (Optional)
Vercel will prompt you to create a team. Each team account receives $5 of AI Gateway free credits per month.
Access AI Gateway
- After logging into Vercel, visit the AI Gateway page
- Click “Get Started” to begin using
- The system will automatically allocate $5 of free credits per month to your team account
đĄ General Considerations
â Recommended Practices
Use Free Credits Wisely:
- $5 monthly free credits apply to all available models
- Can be used to test different provider models
- Suitable for small-scale applications and prototype development
Use BYOK to Reduce Costs:
- If you already have API keys from other providers, use BYOK
- Vercel adds zero markup (0%) to token prices
- Only pay upstream provider fees
Leverage Failover Functionality:
- Configure multiple providers as backups
- Improve application availability and stability
â ī¸ Important Reminders
- Free Credits Explanation: After first using AI Gateway, you receive $5 free credits every 30 days. Once you purchase Credits (top-up), you’ll switch to paid status and no longer receive monthly free credits.
- Upstream Limitations: While Vercel sets no rate limits, upstream providers may have their own restrictions.
- BYOK Usage: When using your own keys (BYOK), Vercel promises zero markup, but thorough testing before production is recommended.
- Regional Access: Some regions may require VPN to access Vercel services.
đ§ Common Questions
Q: What’s the difference between Vercel AI Gateway and using provider APIs directly?
A: AI Gateway provides a unified interface, automatic failover, and unified billing, simplifying multi-model integration. If using only a single provider, direct API usage may be simpler.
Q: What happens when free credits run out?
A: When free credits are exhausted, you can choose to purchase AI Gateway Credits to continue, or use BYOK mode (requires your own API keys).
Q: Does Vercel charge in BYOK mode?
A: In BYOK mode, Vercel adds zero markup (0%) to token prices. You only pay upstream provider fees.
Q: Which AI providers are supported?
A: Supports mainstream providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, xAI, etc. Check official documentation for the complete list.
Q: Can it be used in production environments?
A: Yes, Vercel AI Gateway provides enterprise-grade reliability and automatic failover, suitable for production use.
đ Related Links
- Official Website: https://vercel.com/ai-gateway
- Official Documentation: https://vercel.com/docs/ai-gateway
- Pricing Information: https://vercel.com/docs/ai-gateway/pricing
- AI SDK Documentation: https://ai-sdk.dev/providers/ai-sdk-providers/ai-gateway
- Open-source Chatbot Template: https://github.com/vercel-labs/ai-chatbot-gateway
- Official Blog: https://vercel.com/blog/ai-gateway
đ Service Comparison
| Feature | Free Tier | BYOK Mode | Paid Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $5/month free credits | Upstream fees only (0% markup) | Pay-as-you-go |
| Model Access | All models | All models | All models |
| Failover | â | â | â |
| Unified Billing | â | â | â |
| Rate Limits | Determined by upstream | Determined by upstream | Determined by upstream |
đ Changelog
- December 2024: Vercel AI Gateway officially launched
- 2024: Continuously adding support for more AI providers
- January 2026: Continuing to provide $5 monthly free credits
đ§ Support and Feedback
- Official Support: Submit support requests through Vercel Dashboard
- Community Discussion: https://github.com/vercel/next.js/discussions
- Issue Reports: https://github.com/vercel-labs/ai-chatbot-gateway/issues