· 3 min read · Product
The best AI gateway for SillyTavern in 2026
SillyTavern needs an OpenAI-compatible endpoint and a key. Here is what actually matters when you pick a gateway, and how to connect one in under a minute.
By Inferio team
- comparison
- product
SillyTavern is the front end; it does not host models. To use it you point it at an OpenAI-compatible endpoint and paste a key. The question is which gateway sits behind it. Most guides hand you a single provider; the better answer is one key that reaches many models and does not expire on you. Here is what to weigh, and how Inferio fits.
What actually matters for SillyTavern
Four things decide a good SillyTavern gateway. OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions, so SillyTavern connects with no adapter. Model breadth, so you can swap between a strong writer and a cheap workhorse without new accounts. Honest pay-as-you-go billing, because character chat is bursty and a monthly seat is the wrong shape. And a free tier to test a character before you spend anything. Raw model count matters less than whether the right models are present and current.
The realistic options
You have three classes of choice. A single provider key (OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek) is simplest but locks you to one lab's models and pricing. A headless dev gateway gives you breadth but no client of its own, which is fine since SillyTavern is your client. Or a gateway that is both API and chat client, so the same key works in SillyTavern and in a built-in UI when you do not want to launch the full app. Inferio is that third kind.
Connecting Inferio to SillyTavern
In SillyTavern, choose the Chat Completion API and the OpenAI-compatible (Custom) source. Set the base URL to https://api.inferio.net/v1, paste your Inferio key, and load the model list. Pick a model, and your characters, lorebooks, and presets run unchanged. The same key also works in Janitor.AI, RisuAI, and Chub, so you are not redoing setup per app.
Free models and cost control
Inferio has a free tier and 200+ models, so you can test a card on a free model, then move to a stronger paid one only when the scene is worth it. Credits do not expire, billing is pay-as-you-go, and one balance covers every client and every model. There is no monthly seat to justify and nothing to cancel if you take a month off.
The short answer
The best SillyTavern gateway is the one with an OpenAI-compatible endpoint, real model breadth, pay-as-you-go credits, and a free tier to start, so a single key carries your whole setup. Inferio is built for exactly that case, and the same key keeps working in every other character chat front end you use.
Ready to connect SillyTavern? Create a free account or browse the models.