This guide uses source checks from Sep 14, 2026. Provider and gateway prices can change; preserve the checked date with every forecast.
Why This Topic Matters Now
AIWave's public pricing language changed materially on Sep 13 and must be handled carefully in any new article. The current live table says default=1 and vip=0.9. That is simple enough as math, but it creates a documentation trap: a key-level billing group is not the same as an account-level upgrade story. A production team needs receipts that show which key group priced the request, not vague statements about a user being VIP.
This guide is for engineering and finance teams that want to use the current 10% VIP-key discount while keeping support, procurement, and incident reviews clean. It explains the difference between base rows and applied rows, shows how to store group evidence beside each route decision, and gives internal reviewers a checklist that avoids old multiplier assumptions. The result is a pricing workflow that is auditable without exposing secrets or customer data.
Source Facts Checked Today
AIWave /api/pricing checked on Sep 14, 2026 returned success=true, 64 live rows, pricing_version 5a90f2b86c08bd983a9a2e6d66c255f4eaef9c4bc934386d2b6ae84ef0ff1f1f, auto_groups=['default'], and group_ratio default=1 and vip=0.9. The static /api/v1/pricing snapshot checked the same day reported checked=2026-09-10, 64 rows, pricing_version 8c7a0c0b30661ccbc13d142cb54d1e4ae445fe774b2c6fa501080db97c7a3e56, and notes that dated base rates are adjusted by the effective account group. Selected static base rows per 1M text-token units were DeepSeek Flash at $0.70 input, $0.0233 cache-hit input, and $2.10 output; DeepSeek V4 Flash at $0.638 input, $0.0202884 cache-hit input, and $1.914 output; DeepSeek V4 Pro at $1.914 input, $0.0637362 cache-hit input, and $5.742 output; GLM-4.5 at $0.6975 input, $0.1800003375 cache-hit input, and $2.1699999225 output; Qwen3 Max at $1.5621977891181764 input and $6.248791156472706 output; Kimi K3 at $4.50 input, $0.90 cache-hit input, and $22.50 output; and Moonshot v1 128K at $1.80 input and $4.50 output. VIP-key estimates multiply the same base rows by 0.9.
AIWave current-state records read for this run distinguish two facts: users may choose a VIP billing group when creating an API key, and paid-tier account or standard-token repair remains owned by server-side automation. The article therefore describes key group selection and request receipts, not automatic account promotion claims.
Kimi pricing documentation checked for this run explains token billing, input and output charges, cache discounts, and model-specific pricing references. That provider context reinforces why AIWave receipts should preserve token class and route owner rather than reducing a request to one blended rate.
Planning Matrix
A source-dated planning matrix keeps the page useful for engineers and procurement reviewers. It turns a search query into an auditable route decision instead of a loose model preference.
| Receipt field | Default key | VIP key |
|---|---|---|
| group_ratio | 1.0 | 0.9 |
| DeepSeek Flash input | $0.70 per 1M base | $0.63 per 1M estimated applied |
| DeepSeek Flash output | $2.10 per 1M base | $1.89 per 1M estimated applied |
| GLM-4.5 input | $0.6975 per 1M base | $0.62775 per 1M estimated applied |
| Kimi K3 input | $4.50 per 1M base | $4.05 per 1M estimated applied |
| Proof needed | base row and usage | base row, multiplier, and key group |
Implementation Pattern
The implementation pattern keeps credentials as placeholders, pins the AIWave base URL, records the model, and leaves room for route-specific controls. Production applications should move credentials into environment or secret storage.
from decimal import Decimal
BASE_ROWS = {
"deepseek-flash": {"input": Decimal("0.70"), "output": Decimal("2.10")},
"glm-4.5": {"input": Decimal("0.6975"), "output": Decimal("2.1699999225")},
"kimi-k3": {"input": Decimal("4.50"), "output": Decimal("22.50")},
}
GROUP_RATIO = {"default": Decimal("1"), "vip": Decimal("0.9")}
def estimate_applied_row(model: str, group: str):
row = BASE_ROWS[model]
ratio = GROUP_RATIO[group]
return {
"api_key": "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE",
"model": model,
"group": group,
"input_usd_per_1m": str(row["input"] * ratio),
"output_usd_per_1m": str(row["output"] * ratio),
"pricing_checked_at": "2026-09-14",
}
print(estimate_applied_row("deepseek-flash", "vip"))
Base Row First, Applied Row Second
A clean forecast starts with the base row. For example, the public JSON snapshot checked during this run lists DeepSeek Flash at $0.70 input and $2.10 output per 1M text tokens. The applied VIP-key estimate then multiplies those rows by 0.9. Writing the applied row without the base row makes later review harder because nobody can tell whether the source row, group multiplier, or usage changed.
Do Not Turn Key Group Into Account Story
A request can be priced through a key group, while account-level paid-tier synchronization follows a separate server-side path. Mixing those concepts causes support confusion. Documentation should say that a VIP key applies the current key-group multiplier to eligible requests. It should not imply that selecting a key group automatically changes every account field, every existing key, or every subscription state.
Store Group Evidence With Every Canary
Route canaries should store model name, key group, group_ratio, live pricing_version, public pricing snapshot version, checked date, input tokens, cache-hit input when available, output tokens, and fallback route. That small receipt lets a reviewer reproduce the applied price. If a key changes from default to VIP between runs, the receipt should show the change instead of leaving it hidden in a dashboard.
Use Discounts Conservatively in Copy
The 10% VIP-key discount is useful, but it should not become the headline for every page. Tier 1 buyers still care about route clarity, one USD billing surface, dated prices, and OpenAI-compatible integration. Treat the discount as a billing-control detail inside a broader evidence story. That keeps the page aligned with current positioning and avoids price-war language.
Model Examples Need Source Dates
Examples in this article use Sep 14 live group-ratio evidence and Sep 10 public JSON rows. If either source changes, the example should be regenerated. This is especially important for model rows such as Kimi K3 and Qwen3 Max, where task fit and output size can matter more than a small multiplier. A discount does not replace route acceptance tests.
Internal Links for Billing Reviewers
This article should link to Pricing, Pricing JSON, Models docs, Chat Completions, Status, and Trust. The path gives billing reviewers a source row, a route name, a request shape, and an operational boundary.
Procurement Review
Procurement should ask whether the forecast includes both default and VIP-key rows, whether the key group is visible in the request receipt, and whether the price source has a checked date. Finance should also ask whether output caps, cache-hit assumptions, and tool or media calls are part of the forecast. The group multiplier is only one field in a complete cost record.
Final Checklist
To use VIP-key pricing safely, capture the live group ratio, capture the public base row, label the key group, store request usage, calculate applied rows, and keep account-upgrade language out of the route receipt. Recheck before funding or scaling. If the group ratio changes, update the evidence pack before updating public or customer-facing copy.