# Your First AI API Payment Should Be a Test, Not a Wallet > Source: > Published: 2026-07-04 01:24:26+00:00 The first payment in an AI API workflow should not be a big wallet top-up. It should be a controlled test. When a developer is still proving a new OpenAI-compatible gateway, the risky moment is not only the first request. It is the first paid request after the setup works. That is when several things can get mixed together: A safer order is: `:free` model ID.This changes the first payment from a commitment into an experiment. The question is not: “Which model is cheapest on a pricing page?” The better question is: Can this project key call this paid model once, produce the expected output, and leave a cost record I can explain? If the answer is yes, scaling becomes a deliberate decision. If the answer is no, you have lost a tiny test amount instead of funding a confusing debugging session. TackleKey’s current first-run path is built around that sequence: create an account, run a current free-model request, check logs, and use the 5 CNY trial balance only when you are ready to validate paid models. Prices and free-model availability are live signals, not permanent guarantees. Always copy the current model ID before testing.