Your Second Brain needs intelligence. That's where the AI provider comes in—the “thinking” part that decides what to do with your messages.
Why Not Use the AI API Directly?
You could use Google's Gemini API directly. But OpenRouter gives you something better:
One API, Many Models
Switch between Gemini, Claude, GPT-4, Llama, and others without changing your code.
Cost Transparency
See exactly what each request costs. No surprises.
Fallback Options
If one model is down, route to another automatically.
No Vendor Lock-in
Change providers without rewriting your integration.
The Recommended Model: Gemini 2.5 Flash
For a Second Brain, you need a model that's:
- Fast — You don't want to wait 10 seconds for every thought.
- Cheap — You'll be sending lots of small requests.
- Smart Enough — It needs to classify intent and extract entities reliably.
Gemini 2.5 Flash hits the sweet spot
Fast responses (~500ms), extremely cheap ($0.075/1M input tokens), and plenty smart for routing tasks. You could run hundreds of requests for pennies.