bharadswami/gptel-openrouter — explained in plain English
Analysis updated 2026-05-18
Browse OpenRouter's full AI model list inside Emacs without manual configuration.
See per-model pricing, context window, and capabilities before choosing a model.
Keep multiple OpenRouter backends in gptel synced to one shared model cache.
Automatically know which models support tools, JSON output, or file attachments.
| bharadswami/gptel-openrouter | douo/lims_dot_emacs | sebastiaanspeck/magik | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Language | Emacs Lisp | Emacs Lisp | Emacs Lisp |
| Last pushed | — | 2026-06-16 | 2026-06-20 |
| Maintenance | — | Maintained | Maintained |
| Setup difficulty | easy | moderate | moderate |
| Complexity | 2/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Audience | developer | developer | developer |
Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.
Requires an existing Emacs + gptel setup and an OpenRouter API key.
gptel-openrouter is a small add-on for the Emacs text editor that connects a chat tool called gptel to OpenRouter, a service that gives access to many different AI models through one account. Instead of manually typing in details about each AI model you want to use, this package automatically downloads OpenRouter's full list of text-capable models and fills in the details for you inside Emacs. It keeps a local cached copy of that model list and refreshes it in the background, so opening Emacs and picking a model never has to wait on a network request. Along with each model's name, it pulls in useful details like the price per million tokens for input and output, how much text the model can handle at once, its knowledge cutoff date, and whether it supports things like reasoning, using tools, returning structured JSON, or handling images, PDFs, audio, or video. Having this information means gptel automatically knows which models can accept a file attachment or use tools, and it makes the model picker in Emacs more informative when browsing through choices. Setting it up means adding the package to your Emacs configuration, then telling gptel to use it as a backend with your OpenRouter API key. On first use it falls back to a general purpose default model while the full list downloads in the background, and later runs load instantly from the cache. You can refresh the list manually at any time, and you can create multiple OpenRouter backends in gptel that all share and update from the same cached catalog. Most of the settings, like where the cache file lives and how often it refreshes, can be customized through Emacs' built in customization menu. This tool is meant for existing Emacs and gptel users who want an easier, more informed way to browse and switch between the many AI models OpenRouter offers, without manually configuring each one by hand.
An Emacs package that auto-fills the gptel chat tool with OpenRouter's full AI model catalog, including prices and capabilities, cached locally for instant access.
Mainly Emacs Lisp. The stack also includes Emacs Lisp, gptel, OpenRouter API.
Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.
Mainly developer.
This repo across BitVibe Labs
double-check against the repo, no cap.