Zukko Blog
Guides to Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and the Claude and GPT APIs: setup, token savings and troubleshooting.
Buying AI tokens: how a dollar balance works and what $5 gets you
5 min · · payments
Tokens at a gateway are not a package but a dollar balance. We look at what is charged to it and calculate how many requests $5 covers.
Paying for AI without a fee: is it possible and how to calculate the overpayment
5 min · · payments
There is almost always a fee when you top up. We show what it consists of, calculate it for SBP and card, and give a formula for how many rubles you need for N dollars.
Paying for AI in rubles: SBP, a dollar balance and the exchange rate
5 min · · payments
Rubles paid via SBP turn into a dollar balance at the rate on the payment date plus the payment page fee. The formula, a top-up table and the price of requests in rubles.
"Your card was declined" in OpenRouter: why a card gets rejected
6 min · · errors
Why a card payment can be rejected on a foreign service, what you can check yourself and how to connect models when payment does not go through.
Gemini API billing: how to pay for Gemini by the token from Russia
6 min · · payments
How Google bills the Gemini API, where setup gets stuck on payment, and how to call Gemini from a single dollar balance instead.
How to pay for the DeepSeek API from Russia: options and steps
5 min · · payments
Two ways to pay for the DeepSeek API from Russia: directly at the provider and through a gateway. Amounts, fees with calculations and a step-by-step guide to the first request.
Buying an AI API key: what you actually buy and what you risk
5 min · · API keys
Listings that say "buy a ChatGPT API key" sell different things. We explain the difference between someone else's key and your own key with a balance, and give a checklist.
How to pay for the OpenAI API from Russia: why it fails and what to do
5 min · · payments
Paying an OpenAI account directly from Russia is not available. A working replacement: a gateway balance and the same OpenAI SDK code with two lines changed.
Paying for OpenRouter from Russia: why it is hard and what the options are
5 min · · payments
Why topping up OpenRouter from Russia usually fails and what to do: check payment methods with the service or move to a gateway with SBP and crypto. What to change in code.
How to pay for the Qwen API from Russia: a gateway instead of an Alibaba Cloud card
5 min · · payments
The official Qwen API is provided by Alibaba Cloud with its own payment terms. Here is another path, a gateway balance: top-up, key, request and a price calculation with the fee.
Is Qwen Code free: what changed and how to keep working
5 min · · payments
Qwen Code itself costs nothing, but model access is now paid. We cover what ended, which options remain and what working on your own key costs.
How to register at DeepSeek from Russia and get API access
5 min · · payments
Registering on the DeepSeek platform and getting API access from Russia: the steps, where people usually get stuck and how to reach DeepSeek models through a gateway with SBP payment.
GitHub Copilot in Russia: what works and what to use instead
6 min · · IDE
What makes GitHub Copilot a question mark for users in Russia, and which alternatives work in VS Code on your own API key.
Claude Desktop in Russia: What It Is and What to Use Instead
5 min · · payments
The Anthropic desktop app is tied to an account and a subscription. Here is what it does and three working replacements on a gateway key with payment from Russia.
Paying for AI models in Russia: which methods work and how they differ
5 min · · payments
A subscription, per-token payment through a gateway, SBP, crypto or MasterCard: what exactly you buy with each method, the fees and the minimum amounts.
AI models without a VPN: using Claude, GPT and Gemini from Russia
5 min · · payments
Why official services demand a foreign network and payment, and which options work without that: a browser chat and an API. Checking access takes five minutes.
Calculating an AI Budget for a Developer Team
6 min · · payments
Pay-per-token is not always cheaper: volume decides. Here is how to measure usage in a pilot, calculate a month for the team, and find the line versus a subscription.
Browser Chat or API: Choosing the Right Tool for Your Task
5 min · · API keys
Browser chat suits hands-on work, the API suits automation. Per-token prices are the same; the differences are control, history, and how a conversation's cost grows.
The insufficient_quota error in the OpenAI API: causes and fixes
5 min · · errors
insufficient_quota arrives with a 429 status, but it's not a rate limit — it's money or a spend cap. Causes, exact codes, and handling in Python.
Claude in Russia: how to use it in a chat, via API and in Claude Code
6 min · · models
Anthropic does not support Russia, but Claude models are available through Zukko: a browser chat, the API and Claude Code on one key, paid in rubles. Setup and prices.
ChatGPT in Russia: how to use GPT models in a web chat and via API
6 min · · models
Official ChatGPT does not support Russia, but GPT models are available through Zukko: a browser chat, an API and payment in rubles. Models, prices and first steps.
An OpenAI API alternative from Russia: what to change in your code
6 min · · development
Code built on the OpenAI SDK moves to an OpenAI-compatible gateway with very few edits. Which lines to change, what to check in streaming and the Responses API, and how to pay from Russia.
Payment errors and refunds: how to file one
4 min · · payments
Money got charged twice, or the balance never moved after payment. Here is what is refundable, what is not, and how to file it properly.
Payment stuck in processing — what to do
4 min · · payments
Money left your account but the balance did not move. Here is what is normal for each payment method, and what is already a reason to contact support.