Block 1 - Settings
- Type / Role
- n8n-nodes-base.set - set
- Config choices
- Version 3.4
Use OpenRouter in n8n versions <1.78
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Important notice
This workflow is provided as-is. Please review and test before using in production.
1. Workflow Overview
What it is: In version 1.78, n8n introduced a dedicated node to use the OpenRouter service, which lets you to use a lot of different LLM models and providers and change models on the fly in an agen...
Best for
- Engineering automation workflows
- Multimodal AI automation workflows
- intermediate n8n builders looking for reusable templates
Tools used
n8n-nodes-base.set, n8n-nodes-base.stickynote, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.chattrigger, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.agent, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.memorybufferwindow, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.lmchatopenai
Source and attribution
This workflow is cataloged by N8N Workflows and links back to its original n8n.io source page by Daniel Nolde.
Original n8n.io source1.1 Workflow description
- Title
- Use OpenRouter in n8n versions <1.78
- Workflow name
- Use OpenRouter in n8n versions <1.78
What it is:
In version 1.78, n8n introduced a dedicated node to use the OpenRouter service, which lets you to use a lot of different LLM models and providers and change models on the fly in an agentic workflow.
For prior n8n versions, there's a workaround to make OpenRouter accessible, by using the OpenAI node with a OpenRouter-specific BaseURL.
This trivial workflow demonstrates this for version before 1.78, so that you can use different LLM model dynamically with the available n8n nodes for OpenAI LLM and OpenAI credentials.
What you can do:
- Use any of the OpenRouter models
- Have the model even dynamically configured or changing (by some external config, some rule, or some specific chat message)
Setup steps:
- Import the workflow
- Ensure you have registered and account, purchased some credits and created and API key for OpenRouter.ai
- Configure the "OpenRouter" credentials with your own credentials, using an OpenAI type credential, but making sure in the credential's config form its "Base URL" is set to https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 so OpenRouter is used instead of OpenAI.
- Open the "Settings" node and change the model value to any valid model id from the OpenRouter models list or even have the model property set dynamically
1.2 Logical Blocks
This catalog entry is organized from the workflow JSON. The node-level section below shows the executable blocks available for review before importing the template.
2. Block-by-Block Analysis
Block 2 - Sticky Note
- Type / Role
- n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
- Config choices
- Version 1
Block 3 - Sticky Note1
- Type / Role
- n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
- Config choices
- Version 1
Block 4 - When chat message received
- Type / Role
- @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.chatTrigger - chatTrigger
- Config choices
- Version 1.1
Block 5 - AI Agent
- Type / Role
- @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.agent - agent
- Config choices
- Version 1.7
Block 6 - Chat Memory
- Type / Role
- @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.memoryBufferWindow - memoryBufferWindow
- Config choices
- Version 1.3
Block 7 - LLM Model
- Type / Role
- @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.lmChatOpenAi - lmChatOpenAi
- Config choices
- Version 1.1
Block 8 - Sticky Note2
- Type / Role
- n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
- Config choices
- Version 1
3. Summary Table
| Workflow | Use OpenRouter in n8n versions <1.78 |
|---|---|
| Complexity | intermediate |
| Nodes | 8 |
| Categories | Engineering, Multimodal AI |
| Author | Daniel Nolde |
| Published | 13 Feb 2025 |
4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch
-
1. Download the workflow JSON
Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/2897/2897.json as the source template for this automation.
-
2. Import the template into n8n
Open n8n, import the downloaded JSON, and review each node before activating the workflow.
-
3. Configure credentials and variables
Replace placeholder credentials, API keys, webhook URLs, account IDs, and environment-specific values with your own settings.
-
4. Test with sample data
Run the workflow manually or in a staging workspace, inspect node output, and confirm downstream systems receive the expected data.
-
5. Activate and monitor
Enable the workflow only after testing, then monitor executions, errors, and rate limits during the first production runs.
5. General Notes & Resources
Review imported nodes carefully before activation. This catalog entry is intended to help you inspect the workflow structure, understand required services, and find related templates faster.
Node names, credentials, schedules, webhook paths, and external service limits may need adjustment for your workspace.
Frequently asked questions
What does Use OpenRouter in n8n versions <1.78 do?
What it is: In version 1.78, n8n introduced a dedicated node to use the OpenRouter service, which lets you to use a lot of different LLM models and providers and change models on the fly in an agen...
What do I need before importing this workflow?
Review the workflow JSON, configure any required credentials in n8n, and test the automation in a safe workspace before using it in production.
Can I customize this workflow?
Yes. Use the block-by-block analysis and the downloadable JSON to inspect each node, then adjust credentials, prompts, schedules, filters, or destinations for your Engineering, Multimodal AI use case.