> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.commonstack.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.commonstack.ai/overview/faq.md).

# FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

### Using Commonstack

<details>

<summary><strong>What is Commonstack?</strong></summary>

Commonstack is a unified API gateway for large language models. You get one API key and one base URL to access models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, DeepSeek, xAI, MiniMax, Zhipu, and more.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Which models are available?</strong></summary>

See the [Model Library](https://commonstack.ai/model-library) for the full list. We add new models regularly. You can also query `GET /v1/models` to fetch available models programmatically.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>What are the base URLs?</strong></summary>

Commonstack provides two protocol endpoints with the same API key:

* **OpenAI-compatible:** `https://api.commonstack.ai/v1`
* **Anthropic-compatible:** `https://api.commonstack.ai`

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Is the API OpenAI-compatible?</strong></summary>

Yes. You can use the OpenAI Python or TypeScript SDK by changing the `base_url` to `https://api.commonstack.ai/v1`. Your existing code works without modification beyond that.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Do you support the Anthropic API format?</strong></summary>

Yes. We also support the Anthropic message format at `https://api.commonstack.ai/v1/messages`. You can use the Anthropic SDK by setting the `base_url` to `https://api.commonstack.ai`.\
\
See [Anthropic SDK Compatibility](/user-guide/anthropic-sdk-compatibility.md) for more details.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Do you have a playground?</strong></summary>

Yes. The [Playground](https://commonstack.ai/playground) lets you test any model with adjustable parameters and copy the configuration as an API code snippet. See [Playground](/platform/playground.md)

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>How does authentication work?</strong></summary>

Both protocols accept the same API key.&#x20;

We recommend `Authorization: Bearer <key>` for OpenAI-compatible requests and `x-api-key: <key>` for Anthropic-compatible requests. See [Authentication](/user-guide/authentication.md)for details.

</details>

### Account & Payment

<details>

<summary><strong>Can I share credits with my team?</strong></summary>

Yes. You can create a Team Account or join other's teams and share credits with them.\
\
See [Team Accounts](/platform/team-accounts.md)for details.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Can I manage multiple API keys?</strong></summary>

Yes. You can create multiple API keys, each with its own expiry date, usage limits, and detailed usage stats. See [Account & API Keys](/platform/account-and-api-keys.md) for details.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>How is pricing structured?</strong></summary>

Pay-as-you-go, per token. No subscriptions. Pricing varies by model and is shown in the [Model Library](https://commonstack.ai/model-library). All provider usage is consolidated into one bill.&#x20;

See [Payment & Billing](/platform/payment-and-billing.md) for details.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>How are thinking tokens billed?</strong></summary>

Thinking tokens (from models like Claude with extended thinking or DeepSeek-R1) are billed at the same rate as output tokens.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>What payment methods do you accept?</strong></summary>

Credit cards (via Stripe) and Alipay. New users get a 20% bonus on their first top-up, up to $500. See [Payment & Billing](/platform/payment-and-billing.md) for details.

</details>

### Features & Use Cases

<details>

<summary><strong>Do you support vision / image inputs and outputs?</strong></summary>

Yes. Image-to-text and text-to-image are supported for models that have these capabilities natively. Image-to-image editing is available through Nano Banana.&#x20;

See [Vision and Image Generation](/user-guide/vision-and-image-generation.md) for details.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Do you support prompt caching?</strong></summary>

We will soon support prompt caching for models where the upstream provider supports it. Cache pricing is shown in the [Model Library](https://commonstack.ai/model-library) alongside standard pricing.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Do you support streaming?</strong></summary>

Yes. See [Streaming](/user-guide/streaming.md) for details.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Do you support function calling / tool use?</strong></summary>

Yes. See [Function Calling](/user-guide/function-calling.md) for details.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Do you support anthropic-beta features like the 1M context window?</strong></summary>

Yes. Pass the `anthropic-beta` header manually in your request, the same way you would with the Anthropic API directly. Commonstack forwards it to the upstream provider.&#x20;

See [Anthropic SDK Compatibility](/user-guide/anthropic-sdk-compatibility.md#anthropic-beta-header)for details.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Do you support structured output?</strong></summary>

Yes. See [Structured Output](/user-guide/structured-output.md) for details.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Can I use Commonstack for OpenClaw?</strong></summary>

Yes. You can [Use OpenClaw with Commonstack](/integration-guides/openclaw/use-openclaw-with-commonstack.md)as your default LLM API.&#x20;

Also, makes sure to use the [OpenClaw External Tools Integration (MCP)](/integration-guides/openclaw/openclaw-external-tools-integration-mcp.md) for web search (Brave), scraping (Firecrawl), voice (ElevenLabs), and video generation (Seedance).&#x20;

See [OpenClaw](/integration-guides/openclaw.md)for details.

</details>

### Support & Contact

<details>

<summary><strong>Where can I get support?</strong></summary>

* General support: Commonstack [Discord ](https://discord.com/invite/Hd7DFast)and ask questions in the appropriate support channels.
* Billing, credits, or account-related inquiries: [hello@commonstack.ai](mailto:Hello@commonstack.ai).
* X (Twitter): [@commonstack\_ai](https://x.com/commonstack_ai)

</details>


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