Which AI Provider Should I Choose? Decision Guide for AIWU
AIWU supports 6 AI providers. They all work — but each has a different cost, quality profile, and best use case. This guide helps you pick the right one in under 2 minutes.
Before You Start
You’ll need:
- AIWU plugin installed and configured (First 5 Minutes setup guide)
- Time needed: ~2 minutes to decide
Quick Comparison: All 6 Providers
| Provider | Best for | Cost | Quality | Get Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI (GPT-4o) | General use, content generation | $$ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Get key |
| Anthropic (Claude) | Chatbots, long documents, nuanced responses | $$ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Get key |
| DeepSeek | Budget-conscious usage, bulk content | $ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Get key |
| Google Gemini | Multimodal tasks, Google ecosystem users | $$ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Get key |
| Perplexity | Real-time web search in responses | $$ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Get key |
| OpenRouter | One key for all models, flexibility, backup | $–$$$ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Get key |
Cost guide: $ = under $5/month for typical use · $$ = $5–$20/month · $$$ = depends on volume
Pick By Your Situation
“I just want to get started fast — lowest friction”
→ OpenRouter. One account, one key, access to all major models. No need to sign up with multiple providers. If one model is down or rate-limited, switch to another in seconds.
“I want the best chatbot quality”
→ Anthropic Claude. Claude excels at natural conversation, following complex instructions, and handling long context — ideal for customer-facing chatbots that need to be accurate and on-brand.
“I need to generate a lot of content cheaply”
→ DeepSeek. DeepSeek-Chat delivers strong content quality at a fraction of GPT-4 pricing — ideal for bulk article generation, product descriptions, and high-volume tasks where cost matters.
“I want AI answers that include current web results”
→ Perplexity. Perplexity searches the web in real time before answering. Ideal for chatbots on news sites, research tools, or any use case where up-to-date information matters.
“I’m already in the Google ecosystem”
→ Google Gemini. If you use Google Cloud or prefer to keep billing consolidated, Gemini integrates naturally. Quality is comparable to GPT-4o for most tasks.
Can I Use More Than One Provider?
Yes. You can add API keys for multiple providers in Settings → API. Each chatbot can then use a different provider — for example, Claude for your main customer chatbot and DeepSeek for bulk content generation. This is the recommended setup for most Pro users.
Recommendation by Use Case
| Use case | Recommended provider |
|---|---|
| Customer support chatbot | Claude or GPT-4o |
| Product recommendation chatbot | GPT-4o or Claude |
| Bulk article generation (50+ posts) | DeepSeek (cost) or GPT-4o (quality) |
| Real-time news / research bot | Perplexity |
| First-time setup / testing | OpenRouter |
| Multi-provider setup | OpenRouter as hub |
Common Issues
Problem: “I don’t know which model to select within my chosen provider.”
Fix: Use the default model AIWU suggests — it’s usually the best balance of quality and cost for your provider. You can change it later in chatbot or content generation settings.
Problem: “I’m getting errors with my chosen provider.”
Fix: See API Key Errors guide for specific error messages and fixes.
What’s Next
- 💬 Start using your provider: Set Up Your First AI Chatbot in 5 Minutes
- 📝 Generate content with it: Generate Your First AI Article in 3 Minutes
- 🛒 WooCommerce store? Auto-Generate Product Descriptions for 500 Products
- 🧠 Train the AI on your data: Fine-Tuning vs Embeddings: Which Should I Use?
- 🔧 All plugin settings explained: Plugin Settings: Complete Reference
- 💻 Using the REST API? REST API Quick Start
- 🆚 Want a deeper model comparison? GPT-4 vs Claude vs Gemini vs DeepSeek: Full Comparison
Last verified: AIWU v.4.9.2 · Updated: 2026-02-25