OpenRouter Setup Guide

OpenRouter Setup Guide

Complete guide to setting up and using OpenRouter for Perplexity model access.

What is OpenRouter?

OpenRouter is a unified API gateway that provides access to 100+ AI models from various providers through a single API interface. It offers:

• Single API key: Access multiple models with one key
• Unified format: OpenAI-compatible API format
• Cost tracking: Built-in usage monitoring and billing
• Model routing: Intelligent fallback and load balancing
• Pay-as-you-go: No subscriptions, pay only for what you use

For Perplexity models specifically, OpenRouter provides exclusive access to certain models like Sonar Pro Search.

Getting Started

Step 1: Create OpenRouter Account

1. Visit https://openrouter.ai/
2. Click "Sign Up" in the top right
3. Sign up with Google, GitHub, or email
4. Verify your email if using email signup

Step 2: Add Payment Method

OpenRouter uses pay-as-you-go billing:

1. Navigate to https://openrouter.ai/account
2. Click "Credits" tab
3. Add a payment method (credit card)
4. Add initial credits (minimum $5 recommended)
5. Optionally set up auto-recharge

Pricing notes:

• Models have different per-token costs
• See https://openrouter.ai/perplexity for Perplexity pricing
• Monitor usage at https://openrouter.ai/activity

Step 3: Generate API Key

1. Go to https://openrouter.ai/keys
2. Click "Create Key"
3. Give your key a descriptive name (e.g., "perplexity-search-skill")
4. Optionally set usage limits for safety
5. Copy the key (starts with sk-or-v1-...)
6. Important: Save this key securely - you can't view it again!

Security tips:

• Never share your API key publicly
• Don't commit keys to version control
• Use separate keys for different projects
• Set usage limits to prevent unexpected charges
• Rotate keys periodically

Step 4: Configure Environment

You have two options for setting up your API key:

Option A: Environment Variable (Recommended)

Linux/macOS:

export OPENROUTER_API_KEY='sk-or-v1-your-key-here'

To make it permanent, add to your shell profile:

# For bash: Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile
echo 'export OPENROUTER_API_KEY="sk-or-v1-your-key-here"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

# For zsh: Add to ~/.zshrc
echo 'export OPENROUTER_API_KEY="sk-or-v1-your-key-here"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

Windows (PowerShell):

$env:OPENROUTER_API_KEY = "sk-or-v1-your-key-here"

To make it permanent:

[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('OPENROUTER_API_KEY', 'sk-or-v1-your-key-here', 'User')

Option B: .env File

Create a .env file in your project directory:

# Create .env file
cat > .env << EOF
OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-v1-your-key-here
EOF

Or use the setup script:

python scripts/setup_env.py --api-key sk-or-v1-your-key-here

Then load it before running scripts:

# Load environment variables from .env
source .env

# Or use python-dotenv
pip install python-dotenv

Using python-dotenv in scripts:

from dotenv import load_dotenv
load_dotenv()  # Loads .env file automatically

import os
api_key = os.environ.get("OPENROUTER_API_KEY")

Step 5: Install Dependencies

Install LiteLLM using uv:

uv pip install litellm

Or with regular pip:

pip install litellm

Optional dependencies:

# For .env file support
uv pip install python-dotenv

# For additional features
uv pip install litellm[proxy]  # If using LiteLLM proxy server

Step 6: Verify Setup

Test your configuration:

# Using the setup script
python scripts/setup_env.py --validate

# Or using the search script
python scripts/perplexity_search.py --check-setup

You should see:

✓ OPENROUTER_API_KEY is set (sk-or-v1-...xxxx)
✓ LiteLLM is installed (version X.X.X)
✓ Setup is complete! You're ready to use Perplexity Search.

Step 7: Test Your First Search

Run a simple test query:

python scripts/perplexity_search.py "What is CRISPR gene editing?"

Expected output:

================================================================================
ANSWER
================================================================================
CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) is a
revolutionary gene editing technology that allows precise modifications to DNA...
[detailed answer continues]
================================================================================

Usage Monitoring

Check Your Usage

Monitor your OpenRouter usage and costs:

1. Visit https://openrouter.ai/activity
2. View requests, tokens, and costs
3. Filter by date range, model, or key
4. Export usage data for analysis

Set Usage Limits

Protect against unexpected charges:

1. Go to https://openrouter.ai/keys
2. Click on your key
3. Set "Rate limit" (requests per minute)
4. Set "Spending limit" (maximum total spend)
5. Enable "Auto-recharge" with limit if desired

Recommended limits for development:

• Rate limit: 10-20 requests per minute
• Spending limit: $10-50 depending on usage

Cost Optimization

Tips for reducing costs:

1. Choose appropriate models: Use Sonar for simple queries, not Sonar Pro Search
2. Set max_tokens: Limit response length with --max-tokens parameter
3. Batch queries: Combine multiple simple questions when possible
4. Monitor usage: Check costs daily during heavy development
5. Use caching: Store results for repeated queries

Troubleshooting

Error: "OpenRouter API key not configured"

Cause: Environment variable not set

Solution:

# Check if variable is set
echo $OPENROUTER_API_KEY

# If empty, set it
export OPENROUTER_API_KEY='sk-or-v1-your-key-here'

# Or use setup script
python scripts/setup_env.py --api-key sk-or-v1-your-key-here

Error: "Invalid API key"

Causes:

• Key was deleted or revoked
• Key has expired
• Typo in the key
• Wrong key format

Solutions:

1. Verify key at https://openrouter.ai/keys
2. Check for extra spaces or quotes
3. Generate a new key if needed
4. Ensure key starts with sk-or-v1-

Error: "Insufficient credits"

Cause: OpenRouter account has run out of credits

Solution:

1. Go to https://openrouter.ai/account
2. Click "Credits" tab
3. Add more credits
4. Consider enabling auto-recharge

Error: "Rate limit exceeded"

Cause: Too many requests in a short time

Solutions:

1. Wait a few seconds before retrying
2. Increase rate limit at https://openrouter.ai/keys
3. Implement exponential backoff in code
4. Batch requests or reduce frequency

Error: "Model not found"

Cause: Incorrect model name or model no longer available

Solution:

1. Check available models at https://openrouter.ai/models
2. Use correct format: openrouter/perplexity/sonar-pro
3. Verify model is still supported

Error: "LiteLLM not installed"

Cause: LiteLLM package is not installed

Solution:

uv pip install litellm

Import Error with LiteLLM

Cause: Python path issues or version conflicts

Solutions:

1. Verify installation: pip list | grep litellm
2. Reinstall: uv pip install --force-reinstall litellm
3. Check Python version: python --version (requires 3.8+)
4. Use virtual environment to avoid conflicts

Advanced Configuration

Using Multiple Keys

For different projects or team members:

# Project 1
export OPENROUTER_API_KEY='sk-or-v1-project1-key'

# Project 2
export OPENROUTER_API_KEY='sk-or-v1-project2-key'

Or use .env files in different directories.

Custom Base URL

If using OpenRouter proxy or custom endpoint:

from litellm import completion

response = completion(
    model="openrouter/perplexity/sonar-pro",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "query"}],
    api_base="https://custom-endpoint.com/v1"  # Custom URL
)

Request Headers

Add custom headers for tracking:

from litellm import completion

response = completion(
    model="openrouter/perplexity/sonar-pro",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "query"}],
    extra_headers={
        "HTTP-Referer": "https://your-app.com",
        "X-Title": "Your App Name"
    }
)

Timeout Configuration

Set custom timeouts for long-running queries:

from litellm import completion

response = completion(
    model="openrouter/perplexity/sonar-pro-search",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "complex query"}],
    timeout=120  # 120 seconds timeout
)

Security Best Practices

API Key Management

1. Never commit keys: Add .env to .gitignore
2. Use key rotation: Rotate keys every 3-6 months
3. Separate keys: Different keys for dev/staging/production
4. Monitor usage: Check for unauthorized access
5. Set limits: Configure spending and rate limits

.gitignore Template

Add to your .gitignore:

# Environment variables
.env
.env.local
.env.*.local

# API keys
*api_key*
*apikey*
*.key

# Sensitive configs
config/secrets.yaml

Key Revocation

If a key is compromised:

1. Go to https://openrouter.ai/keys immediately
2. Click "Delete" on the compromised key
3. Generate a new key
4. Update all applications using the old key
5. Review usage logs for unauthorized access
6. Contact OpenRouter support if needed

FAQs

Q: How much does it cost to use Perplexity via OpenRouter?

A: Pricing varies by model. Sonar is cheapest ($0.001-0.002 per query), Sonar Pro is moderate ($0.002-0.005), and Sonar Pro Search is most expensive (~$0.02-0.05+ per query). See https://openrouter.ai/perplexity for exact pricing.

Q: Do I need a separate Perplexity API key?

A: No! OpenRouter provides access to Perplexity models using only your OpenRouter key.

Q: Can I use OpenRouter for other models besides Perplexity?

A: Yes! OpenRouter provides access to 100+ models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, and more through the same API key.

Q: Is there a free tier?

A: OpenRouter requires payment, but offers very competitive pricing. Initial $5 credit should last for extensive testing.

Q: How do I cancel my OpenRouter account?

A: Contact OpenRouter support. Note that unused credits may not be refundable.

Q: Can I use OpenRouter in production applications?

A: Yes, OpenRouter is designed for production use with robust infrastructure, SLAs, and enterprise support available.

Resources

Official Documentation:

• OpenRouter: https://openrouter.ai/docs
• Perplexity Models: https://openrouter.ai/perplexity
• LiteLLM: https://docs.litellm.ai/

Account Management:

• Dashboard: https://openrouter.ai/account
• API Keys: https://openrouter.ai/keys
• Usage: https://openrouter.ai/activity
• Billing: https://openrouter.ai/credits

Community:

• OpenRouter Discord: https://discord.gg/openrouter
• GitHub Issues: https://github.com/OpenRouter
• LiteLLM GitHub: https://github.com/BerriAI/litellm

Summary

Setting up OpenRouter for Perplexity access involves:

1. Create account at https://openrouter.ai
2. Add payment method and credits
3. Generate API key at https://openrouter.ai/keys
4. Set OPENROUTER_API_KEY environment variable
5. Install LiteLLM: uv pip install litellm
6. Verify setup: python scripts/setup_env.py --validate
7. Start searching: python scripts/perplexity_search.py "your query"

Monitor usage and costs regularly to optimize your spending and ensure security.