Smart Routes
Organize model and account sources, switch models in real time, and keep one stable endpoint for your client.
Smart Routes keeps model choice in your hands: the client connects to a local endpoint, while you manage the sources, model IDs, and attempt order behind it in EchoBird.
One scheme, an ordered route
The numbers in a scheme indicate priority. Requests try sources nearer the front first. If a source is rate-limited, out of quota, or temporarily unavailable, later sources are tried next. Once the cooldown ends, attempts return to priority order.
This is different from requesting several models simultaneously, and does not pool quotas from different providers. Whether a source is usable and which models it can access still depend on its own authorization, plan, and service capabilities.
Create your first scheme
- Open Smart Routes and choose a source from My Models, Account Access, or Free Models. Configurations already saved in Models can be referenced directly.
- Give the scheme a clear name and check its local port, access key, and model identifier. The port must be available; use the actual address displayed in the current interface.
- Place your usual model first and backup sources later. Dragging to reorder saves automatically and takes effect on the next request; it does not replace the model in the middle of an answer.
- Open a source’s model selector and choose an ID it can actually use. Fetch or refresh the service’s model list first if needed.
- In App Desktop, select a tool that supports model switching, choose this scheme, and apply the configuration.
- Send a real request in the tool, then check the access status and statistics to confirm that the request reached the expected source.
Free versus keyless
| Label | What it means | What it does not mean |
|---|---|---|
| Free | The specific model option in the directory is marked as free | Every model from that provider is free, unlimited, or permanently available |
| Keyless | This endpoint does not require you to supply your own API Key | It has no rate limits or conditions, or suits every task |
| Account Access | Uses the model directory and authorization provided by an account integration | Any subscription account can call every provider’s models |
Cards, lists, and the terminal
Cards help you inspect sources and select model IDs. Lists make it easier to reorder, enable, or pause entries. The terminal shows grouped request information. If the terminal explicitly identifies its data as illustrative, it does not mean you have already made real requests or incurred charges.
Removing a source from a scheme removes only that reference; the original model or account remains saved. After deleting a scheme, update any external tool that still points to its old address to use another working endpoint.
Use the OpenAI and Anthropic addresses
A scheme provides local OpenAI-compatible and Anthropic-compatible endpoints for different clients. Copy the address and key displayed for the current scheme. Do not guess an address from an example port, or manually change one protocol’s URL suffix into another.
The practical result: keep the endpoint, adjust the sources
For example, create an “Everyday coding” scheme for your coding tool: use a preferred model for routine tasks, another available service as backup, and suitable free sources when needed. Adjusting the models and their order centrally is more convenient than repeatedly changing endpoints in each client. Still review important outputs; failover does not guarantee that every model delivers the same quality.