Quick start

Updated 2026-11-11

Your first call takes four steps: sign up, create an API key, send a request, and pick a provider if you want to. The examples below are ready to copy; replace YOUR_API_KEY with your key and MODEL_ID with a model ID.

1. Sign up

Register with your email and click the link in the verification email. Creating keys and topping up both require a verified email; the link is valid for 24 hours and works once. If the instance offers a trial credit to new users, it is granted automatically once your email is verified; it then shows in your console balance. Without a trial credit, top up on the Top up page first.

2. Create an API key

Open the Keys page in the console and enter a name. A full key looks like mp-xxxxxxxx.xxxx and is shown only once, right after creation, so save it immediately. After that only the last 4 characters are shown; if you lose it, revoke it and create a new one. See API keys.

Use keys on the server only: keep them in server-side environment variables or a secret manager, never in browser pages, mobile app bundles or public repositories.

3. Send your first request

Find a model in the catalog. The model ID on its page is the value of the model field. The three snippets below send the same request:

curl https://modelportal.ai/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model": "MODEL_ID", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]}'

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(base_url="https://modelportal.ai/v1", api_key="YOUR_API_KEY")
reply = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="MODEL_ID",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}],
)
print(reply.choices[0].message.content)

import OpenAI from "openai";

const client = new OpenAI({ baseURL: "https://modelportal.ai/v1", apiKey: "YOUR_API_KEY" });
const reply = await client.chat.completions.create({
  model: "MODEL_ID",
  messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Hello" }],
});
console.log(reply.choices[0].message.content);

Run pip install openai for Python or npm install openai for TypeScript first. choices[0].message.content in the response is the model's answer, and the cost of the call appears on the Billing page of the console.

The platform offers three compatible APIs, all on this site's domain:

4. Pick a provider

A model usually has offers from several providers. With no settings, the platform picks the cheapest eligible endpoint by comparison price and locks the request to it: if it fails you get the error, and the request does not move to another provider. To prefer a provider, add a provider object to the request body:

curl https://modelportal.ai/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model": "MODEL_ID", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}], "provider": {"order": ["PROVIDER_ID"]}}'

Replace PROVIDER_ID with a provider identifier from the endpoint list on the model page. When no endpoint meets the constraints, you get HTTP 422 with the code no_eligible_endpoint and a message explaining why. All provider fields are listed in Provider selection.

Defaults to know

• Streaming: add "stream": true; the OpenAI format ends with data: [DONE]. See Streaming.
• Without max_tokens (or max_completion_tokens), the platform fills in a value from the model's output limit and your available balance. In the Anthropic format max_tokens is required.
• GET /v1/models lists only the models the current key can call.
• A low balance returns HTTP 402 insufficient_balance; top up to continue. See Common errors for more.