9Router vs opencodex
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A local router that lets AI coding tools use multiple model providers, with fallback when limits hit.
Open source · MIT
A local proxy that lets Codex and Claude Code use models from other providers.
The short answer
Choose 9Router if you need…
- Developers who use AI coding tools and want to reduce spending
- People with several AI subscriptions who want to use up their quota
- Users who want one local endpoint for multiple AI providers
- Tinkerers willing to configure providers and model names by hand
Choose opencodex if you need…
- Developers who already use Codex or Claude Code and want to try other model providers
- People who want one local dashboard to manage multiple provider keys and models
- Users who want to route different sessions to different accounts or models
- Anyone running local models through Ollama who wants them inside a coding tool
Side-by-side
| 9Router | opencodex | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 31.8k | 18.2k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 9 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
9Router
9Router runs on your computer as a local server at localhost:20128. You point tools such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or Cline at it instead of a provider, and it forwards requests to one of 40+ AI providers. It can switch to a cheaper or free model when a primary subscription runs out, and its README says it compresses tool output to save tokens.
opencodex
opencodex runs on your computer as a local gateway between AI coding tools and model providers. It accepts requests in the Responses, Chat Completions and Anthropic Messages formats and translates them into what each provider expects. The README says this lets tools like Codex and Claude Code work with models such as Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek and Ollama.
Best for
9Router
- Developers who use AI coding tools and want to reduce spending
- People with several AI subscriptions who want to use up their quota
- Users who want one local endpoint for multiple AI providers
- Tinkerers willing to configure providers and model names by hand
opencodex
- Developers who already use Codex or Claude Code and want to try other model providers
- People who want one local dashboard to manage multiple provider keys and models
- Users who want to route different sessions to different accounts or models
- Anyone running local models through Ollama who wants them inside a coding tool
Strengths
9Router
- Single local endpoint works with many AI coding tools
- Automatic fallback between tiers of providers
- MIT licensed and open source with a large public following
opencodex
- Works with many clients and providers through one local address, http://localhost:10100
- Has a web dashboard for adding providers, picking models and managing accounts
- MIT licensed and open source on GitHub
Not ideal for
9Router
- Users who need guaranteed uptime or enterprise support, since the README describes no such commitments
- People who do not want to manage API keys or provider accounts
- Anyone expecting every listed model to be truly unlimited, since free tiers and credits have limits the README itself mentions
opencodex
- People who only use one provider and do not need routing, since the proxy adds a layer to set up and maintain
- Users who need guaranteed feature parity; the README says streaming, tool calls, reasoning and images work only where the client, model and provider support them
- Non-technical users who are uncomfortable installing Node packages or editing tool configs
Trade-offs
9Router
- Free tiers and credits are limited and can change, so 'unlimited' is marketing wording
- Source-based setup and production build require extra steps and system tuning
- Relies on third-party providers whose terms and availability are outside the project's control
opencodex
- The README describes support as conditional on client, model and provider, so behavior varies by combination
- Several setup paths (CLI, desktop app, managed integrations) mean more to learn; the README is long and partly truncated
- Desktop app is labeled beta in the README
Getting started
9Router
Install globally with npm
npm install -g 9routerStart the router and dashboard
9routeropencodex
Install the CLI globally
npm install -g @bitkyc08/opencodexStart the proxy and dashboard
ocx startFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between 9Router and opencodex?
9Router: A local router that lets AI coding tools use multiple model providers, with fallback when limits hit. opencodex: A local proxy that lets Codex and Claude Code use models from other providers. 9Router suits developers who use ai coding tools and want to reduce spending, while opencodex suits developers who already use codex or claude code and want to try other model providers.
Are 9Router and opencodex free?
9Router: Free and open source. opencodex: Free and open source.
Is 9Router or opencodex more popular?
9Router has more GitHub stars (31.8k) than opencodex (18.2k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to 9Router and opencodex?
Other options people compare them with include Ollama, wshobson/agents, planning-with-files, ECC, Claude Code Game Studios.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.