Unused credits in your OpenRouter account may expire one year after the date you purchased them.
This analysis describes what OpenRouter's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
The agreement reserves the right to expire credits after 365 days, meaning users who purchase credits and do not use them within a year may lose their remaining balance without a refund.
Interpretive note: The 'reserves the right to' phrasing leaves ambiguity about whether expiration is automatic or discretionary, and applicability of state stored value laws is a fact-specific jurisdictional determination.
Two separate provisions (Credit Expiration and Auto-Recharge Recurring Payment Authorization) were consolidated into a single combined provision.
View full change record →Pre-paid credits that are not used within 365 days of purchase may be expired by OpenRouter; since credits become non-refundable after 24 hours, users could lose the value of unused credits after the expiration period.
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"OpenRouter reserves the right to expire unused credits three hundred sixty-five (365) days after purchase.— Excerpt from OpenRouter's OpenRouter Terms of Service
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Credit expiration policies may engage state gift card and stored value laws, which in many US states (including California) prohibit or restrict expiration of stored value. The phrasing 'reserves the right to expire' rather than stating expiration as automatic creates some ambiguity about whether expiration is mandatory or discretionary. EU consumer protection frameworks may also limit the enforceability of stored value expiration clauses. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. California's gift card law (Civil Code Section 1749.5) generally prohibits expiration of gift certificates and store credit, though its applicability to API credits is a fact-specific determination. Other US states have similar protections. The conditional phrasing ('reserves the right to') rather than mandatory expiration leaves operational ambiguity. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: California residents and other US state residents with stored value protection laws may have rights that limit OpenRouter's ability to expire credits. EU/EEA users may have similar protections under national consumer law. Legal analysis of specific state statutes is warranted before enforcement of this provision. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Enterprise customers with large credit balances should monitor expiration timelines and plan credit usage accordingly. The 365-day expiration interacts with the auto-recharge feature; users relying on auto-recharge should verify that older credit tranches are tracked and used before expiration. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should evaluate whether the credit expiration policy complies with applicable stored value and gift card laws in US states and other jurisdictions where the service is offered to consumers. The conditional 'reserves the right' phrasing should be reviewed to determine whether it satisfies disclosure requirements for expiration-capable stored value instruments.
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The agreement reserves the right to expire credits after 365 days, meaning users who purchase credits and do not use them within a year may lose their remaining balance without a refund.
Pre-paid credits that are not used within 365 days of purchase may be expired by OpenRouter; since credits become non-refundable after 24 hours, users could lose the value of unused credits after the expiration period.
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