Best Janitor AI Proxy in 2026: 7 API Proxies Compared

Quick answer

In Janitor AI, a “proxy” is an API connection that replaces the built-in JanitorLLM with a model from another provider. It is not a VPN or an IP proxy. The best options in 2026 are:

1. NanoGPT: 648 text models, the most of any provider on this list. No account or email is needed, and crypto top-ups get a 3% bonus.
2. OpenRouter: the easiest free start. Free models are capped at 50 requests a day.
3. DeepSeek (direct API): the cheapest way to run a single strong roleplay model.
4. Google AI Studio (Gemini): a generous free tier, but filtered, and free-tier data can be used to improve Google’s products.
5. Chutes: open models popular for roleplay, though prices have gone up.
6. AnonRouter: a privacy-focused router that runs on prepaid credit.
7. Nvidia NIM: free access to a smaller set of models, with rate limits.

Janitor AI proxies compared

Free tiers, prices and model IDs change often. Check each provider’s own page before you add credit.

API proxy vs IP proxy: which one do you need?

Most Janitor AI users need an API proxy. That is the setting under API Settings where you paste a proxy URL, an API key and a model name. It decides which model writes your character’s replies, so it is what changes response quality, memory and content limits.

An IP proxy (residential, ISP or mobile) only changes the network address your browser connects from. It helps if Janitor AI is blocked or throttled in your region, but it does nothing for reply quality. If your errors are 401, 402, 404 or 429, an IP proxy will not fix them. Those come from the API provider.

How we compared these proxies

Each provider was compared on five things: how many text models it offers, whether there is a free option and what it is capped at, how you pay and whether a markup applies, what you have to hand over to sign up, and whether it publishes Janitor AI setup instructions. Model counts come from each provider’s public models page, filtered to text models, on October 21, 2026.

The 7 best Janitor AI proxies in 2026

1. NanoGPT

Best for: the widest model choice without creating an account.

NanoGPT is a pay-per-use AI provider with an OpenAI-compatible API, so it plugs into Janitor AI’s proxy settings directly. Its models page lists 648 text models from more than 118 labs, against 468 text-output models on OpenRouter on the same date. That includes current models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, DeepSeek, Z.AI, Moonshot and Qwen, plus less-filtered variants of several open models. NanoGPT also publishes a roleplay benchmark ranking, which helps narrow 648 options down to the ones that hold a character well.

You can generate an API key, add funds and start chatting without creating an account or giving an email address. Models are billed at the provider’s list price with no markup. Crypto top-ups get a 3% bonus, and there is an optional subscription that covers a set of included models. NanoGPT publishes a Janitor AI setup guide, including a second proxy URL that shows reasoning output from thinking models.

Settings: Proxy URL https://nano-gpt.com/api/v1/chat/completions, your NanoGPT API key, and a model ID from the pricing page, for example deepseek/deepseek-v4.1-flash-1017.

Pros

• 648 text models, the largest catalog on this list.
• Works without an account or email: key, funds, done.
• List-price billing with no markup, plus a 3% bonus on crypto top-ups.
• A separate proxy URL for showing reasoning output in Janitor AI.

Cons

• No free daily allowance; you need a small deposit before your first message.
• With no account, your API key is your access, so store it somewhere safe.
• The subscription covers included models only; others are billed per token.

2. OpenRouter

Best for: trying Janitor AI proxies for free.

OpenRouter is the most common first proxy in the Janitor AI community, and Janitor’s own help center uses it as its quickstart example. One API key covers models from dozens of labs, and switching models only means changing the model name. Its free models are the main draw: at the end of September 2026 there were 17 of them, capped at 50 requests a day. Free models also hit 429 errors at busy times, because many users share the same capacity.

Settings: Proxy URL https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/chat/completions, your sk-or-v1- key, and an exact model ID. Free ones end in :free.

Pros

• Free models to test your setup before paying.
• Large catalog (468 text-output models on October 21, 2026).
• Widely documented, with many community guides.

Cons

• Requires an account.
• Free use is capped at 50 requests a day and often rate-limited.
• A 5.5% fee applies when you buy credits.

3. DeepSeek (direct API)

Best for: the lowest cost if you only want DeepSeek models.

DeepSeek models are among the most-used for Janitor AI roleplay because they write long, in-character replies at a low token price. Going direct to DeepSeek’s API is usually the cheapest way to run them. The trade-off is that you are limited to one model family, and DeepSeek’s model names change as new snapshots ship. DeepSeek is no longer offered free on OpenRouter, so direct or a paid router are the realistic routes.

Settings: Proxy URL https://api.deepseek.com/chat/completions, your DeepSeek key, and a current model name from DeepSeek’s docs.

Pros

• Very low price per token.
• Strong at long, consistent roleplay.
• OpenAI-compatible, so setup is simple.

Cons

• One model family only.
• No free tier; you top up a balance first.
• Data is processed under DeepSeek’s own policies, including storage in China.

4. Google AI Studio (Gemini)

Best for: a free tier with long context.

Google AI Studio gives free API access to several Gemini models, with large context windows that help long stories. It is the most generous free option on this list. Two things hold it back for Janitor AI: Gemini filters roleplay content more strictly than open models, and on the free tier Google can use what you send to improve its products.

Settings: Proxy URL https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/openai/chat/completions, your AI Studio key, and a Gemini model name.

Pros

• Free daily usage.
• Long context windows.
• No deposit needed to start.

Cons

• Stricter content filters, which show up in roleplay.
• Free-tier prompts can be used by Google.
• Requires a Google account.

5. Chutes

Best for: open models that the roleplay community likes.

Chutes hosts open-weight models such as GLM, Kimi and DeepSeek variants, and became popular with Janitor AI users for prose-heavy roleplay. Its pricing has risen during 2026, which pushed many users to compare alternatives. It remains a reasonable choice if the specific models you like run best there.

Settings: Proxy URL https://llm.chutes.ai/v1/chat/completions, your Chutes key, and a model ID from its catalog.

Pros

• Good selection of roleplay-friendly open models.
• OpenAI-compatible endpoint.
• Popular in the community, so model tips are easy to find.

Cons

• Higher prices than in 2025.
• Smaller catalog than the aggregators above.

6. AnonRouter

Best for: privacy-focused routing on prepaid credit.

AnonRouter markets itself as a privacy-first router. It says it does not store prompts or responses and routes through an attested enclave. It offers an OpenAI-compatible endpoint and publishes Janitor AI instructions. Much of the coverage recommending it comes from a small number of sites, so read its privacy documentation yourself before relying on those claims.

Settings: Proxy URL https://api.anonrouter.ai/v1/chat/completions, your AnonRouter key, and a model ID from its list.

Pros

• Privacy-focused positioning.
• Access to many models through one endpoint.
• Published Janitor AI setup guide.

Cons

• No free tier.
• Privacy claims are self-reported.

7. Nvidia NIM

Best for: free access to a few strong open models.

Nvidia’s NIM API offers free developer access to a rotating set of open models, including GLM and Nemotron variants, and appears in community lists of free Janitor AI proxies. It works well for testing, but rate limits and model availability change, and it is not built as a roleplay service.

Settings: Proxy URL https://integrate.api.nvidia.com/v1/chat/completions, your NIM key, and a model ID from Nvidia’s catalog.

Pros

• Free.
• Fast, well-hosted models.

Cons

• Rate limits and a smaller, changing model list.
• Requires an Nvidia developer account.

How to set up a proxy in Janitor AI

1. Create an API key with your chosen provider and add credit if it has no free option.
2. Open any chat in Janitor AI, open the menu in the top right, and go to API Settings.
3. Select Proxy as the provider and add a new proxy configuration.
4. Paste the full proxy URL, ending in /chat/completions.
5. Paste your API key and type the model ID exactly as the provider spells it.
6. Save, make sure the configuration is active, and reload the page.
7. Send a short test message. The Check Key/Model button can report an error on a working setup, so a real message is the better test.

Fixing common Janitor AI proxy errors

Error 429 (too many requests)

The model is overloaded or you have hit a rate limit. This is common on free models at peak times. Wait, switch to another model, or use a paid model.

“Network Error” with correct-looking settings

The proxy URL, API key and model ID must all come from the same provider. A DeepSeek key with an OpenRouter URL will fail. Also check that the key has no extra spaces.

The proxy URL is rejected

Janitor AI needs the full endpoint. https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 fails; https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/chat/completions works.

Model not found

Model IDs change as new versions ship, and old :free slugs get retired. Copy the current ID from the provider’s models page instead of an older tutorial.

Proxy option missing on a character

A character’s creator can switch third-party proxies off. No key or setting fixes that; use a different character.

PROXY ERROR with no response

Usually the account has no balance for a paid model. Add funds or switch to a model your plan covers.

What changed for Janitor AI proxies in 2026

• DeepSeek models are no longer free on OpenRouter.
• OpenRouter’s free models are capped at 50 requests a day.
• Chutes raised its prices, which sent many users looking for alternatives.
• In July 2026, Janitor AI launched its own janitor+ Router, which offers around 70 third-party models inside Janitor for $12.99 a month plus token costs, with no proxy setup.

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