How to Use Advanced AI Models without Cursor Pro Plan (with OpenRouter)
I heard you, you bought the hype. Cursor AI Code Editor is awesome and you are using it daily. However, you are on the fence about that $20 payment. Is it even worth it?
While platforms like Cursor offer premium plans to access these models, there’s a way to leverage powerful AI capabilities without the need for a pro subscription. This article will guide you through the process of using GPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Gemini 1.5 Pro, and Deepseek Coder V2 via Openrouter, all within the free version of Cursor.
Which LLM Shall I Use for Coding with Cursor?
Before getting started, Let’ talk about which LLM you want to use for coding:
Claude 3.5 Sonnet: Anthropic’s AI model, recognized for its strong performance in various language tasks and ethical considerations. Despite we have reports of it being Lazy recently, it might still be your best option for coding.
GPT-4o: An advanced language model known for its exceptional natural language understanding and generation abilities. Ever sicne the departure of Ilya, it has been dethroned.
Gemini 1.5 Pro: Google’s latest large language model, offering state-of-the-art performance across a wide range of applications. With the latest Aug 2024 update, it has been performing really well.
Deepseek Coder V2: A specialized model designed for code generation and understanding, particularly useful for developers. If you want the most bang of your buck, use this model, period.
Why Use Openrouter?
Openrouter acts as a gateway to multiple AI providers, allowing users to access models from various companies through a single API. This includes models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and others, depending on Openrouter’s current offerings.
To use Openrouter’s services, you’ll need to:
- Create an account on the Openrouter website (openrouter.ai).
- Obtain an API key from your Openrouter account dashboard.
- Add credits to your account to use the service.
How to Use Openrouter in Cursor
Step 1. Open Cursor and navigate to Cursor Settings (typically using Ctrl+Shift+J or Cmd+Shift+J).
Step 2. Go to Models tab. Then, locate the “OpenAI API Key” section within the settings menu.
Step 3. Find the field labeled “Override OpenAI Base URL” and enter: https://openrouter.ai/api/v1
Step 4. Enter your Openrouter Key in the “OpenAI API Key Field”, click on the verify button to double check it works or not.
Step 5. Add whatever model you prefer, use the name assigned by Openrouter.
Now you are good to go!
Press Command + L and Ask Cursor Anything!
Fascinating, right?
Before we conclude, let’s talk about something that we all face during development: API Testing with Postman for your Development Team.
Yeah, I’ve heard of it as well, Postman is getting worse year by year, but, you are working as a team and you need some collaboration tools for your development process, right? So you paid Postman Enterprise for…. $49/month.
Now I am telling you: You Don’t Have to:
That’s right, APIDog gives you all the features that comes with Postman paid version, at a fraction of the cost. Migration has been so easily that you only need to click a few buttons, and APIDog will do everything for you.
APIDog has a comprehensive, easy to use GUI that makes you spend no time to get started working (If you have migrated from Postman). It’s elegant, collaborate, easy to use, with Dark Mode too!
Want a Good Alternative to Postman? APIDog is definitely worth a shot. But if you are the Tech Lead of a Dev Team that really want to dump Postman for something Better, and Cheaper, Check out APIDog!
Conclusion
This setup allows for greater flexibility in choosing the right model for specific tasks, whether it’s code generation, natural language processing, or other AI-assisted development work.Remember to stay updated with both Cursor and Openrouter’s documentation, as features and available models may evolve over time. Experimenting with different models can help you find the best fit for your development needs while using Cursor as your primary coding environment.
