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Getting Started

Quickstart

Hober is an AI inference gateway that gives you access to 200+ models from 15+ providers through a single API. It's compatible with the OpenAI SDK — if you've used OpenAI, ChatGPT, or any OpenAI-compatible API before, you already know how to use Hober. Just change the base URL and API key.

1. Get an API Key

Sign up at the dashboard and create an API key. Keys start with hb_live_ for production or hb_test_ for testing. You can also skip this step entirely and pay per request with x402 (just a wallet, no account needed).

2. Make Your First Request

Use the OpenAI SDK in any language, or plain HTTP. The only things that change from OpenAI are the base URL and the API key. Everything else — request format, response format, streaming, tool use — works exactly the same.

curl https://hober-gateway.fly.dev/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer hb_live_your_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "deepseek-chat",
    "messages": [
      {"role": "user", "content": "What is Hober Protocol?"}
    ]
  }'

3. Choose Your Model

You can specify any model from our catalog of 200+ models. If you're not sure which to pick, Hober can choose for you — just use one of the auto-routing model slugs:

ModelWhat Hober Does
deepseek-chatRoutes to DeepSeek V3.2 — fast, cheap, great for most tasks
deepseek-chat:costPicks the cheapest provider for DeepSeek
deepseek-chat:qualityPicks the highest-reputation provider
hober/autoHober picks the best model for your prompt automatically

4. Ways to Pay

Hober supports three payment methods, and you can mix them:

  • API Key with credits — deposit USDC or pay by card, then each request deducts from your balance. Best for apps with predictable usage.
  • x402 pay-per-request — no deposit, no account. Your wallet pays USDC on Base for each request automatically. Best for agents and on-chain apps.
  • Free tier — 40 requests per day on selected models, no payment needed. Best for trying Hober out.

What Makes Hober Different

Unlike using a single provider directly, Hober gives you automatic fallbacks (if one provider is down, your request routes to another), smart cost optimization (the same model is often available from multiple providers at different prices), and a single API key for every model from every provider. You can also bring your own provider keys and still get Hober's routing and fallback features at a reduced 1% fee.

Next Steps