Kenya · model selection

Chinese AI models in Kenya: what to pick

Which DeepSeek, GLM and Kimi route to test first, with current prices.

Direct answer

Start with deepseek-v4.1-flash-1017 for text and code. Use qwen3.8-27b for structured output. Use glm-5.3-flash for high-volume code. Test on your own prompts before committing budget.

Which model to start with

Prices are per 1M tokens and change with provider terms. Always confirm a route is at /v1/models before funding beyond $5. Current prices are at fikraapi.co.ke/pricing.

Workload	Route	Price per 1M tokens
Text, chat and summaries	deepseek-v4.1-flash-1017	$0.05 input / $0.15 output
Structured JSON and classification	qwen3.8-27b	$0.045 input / $0.35 output
High-volume code	glm-5.3-flash	$0.1875 input / $0.625 output
Hard reasoning	deepseek-v4-pro-pinned	$1.65 input / $4.95 output
Retrieval and semantic search	fikra-embed	$0.05 per 1M input tokens

How to benchmark before you commit

Take 50 prompts from your real production traffic. Include 10 that are hard or failure-shaped.
Run them through two or three routes at temperature 0. Log request ID, model, tokens and cost for each call.
Score on accepted tasks, not token count. The route that completes your task at the lowest wallet cost wins.
Re-run this test whenever /models shows a route revision or price change.

What actually drives your bill

Output tokens cost 3x input on flash routes. Cap max_tokens to what the answer needs.
Cached input is cheaper. If your prompt has a stable system-level prefix, the cache will reduce it automatically.
Retries multiply cost. Set a request timeout and handle 429 and 503 with exponential backoff, not a tight retry loop.
Convert to KES at the checkout rate (KES 133 = $1) when budgeting.

How to get started in Kenya

Create an account at fikraapi.co.ke/account/signup and confirm your email.
Copy your fk_live_ key from the dashboard. It is shown once; store it safely.
Open the dashboard and choose M-Pesa, Airtel Money or card. Enter $5 or more. The screen shows the KES charge before you approve: KES 136.99 is charged, KES 133 credits to your USD wallet. M-Pesa and Airtel Money send a prompt to your phone; approve it and the wallet credits within seconds.
In any OpenAI-compatible client, set base_url to https://api.fikraapi.co.ke/v1 and model to deepseek-v4.1-flash-1017.
Run your first call. The dashboard shows your balance and each request's token cost.
Set a budget cap on the key before sharing it with teammates or deploying to production.

curl https://api.fikraapi.co.ke/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_FIKRA_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model":"deepseek-v4.1-flash-1017","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Summarise this ticket in two lines."}]}'

Common questions

Can I pay from Kenya without a foreign credit card?

Yes. The Kenya checkout offers M-Pesa, Airtel Money and card. M-Pesa and Airtel Money send an STK prompt to your Safaricom or Airtel phone; approve it and the USD wallet credits. Minimum top-up is $5, charged as KES 136.99 (KES 133 credited at the KES 133 = $1 checkout rate). Mobile money is only available on the Kenya checkout.

How much do I need to start?

Minimum top-up is $5. Plans are prepaid per 30 days: Lite $10, Pro $25, Max $60. All plans include 3,000 requests per minute and 250,000 per day. The wallet balance is a hard cap — you cannot overspend it.

Which model should I use first?

Start with deepseek-v4.1-flash-1017 for text, code and summaries. It is the most-used route on the platform. Confirm it is listed at /v1/models, then compare against qwen3.8-27b (structured output) and glm-5.3-flash (high-volume code) on your own prompts before committing budget.

Does Fikra offer an SLA?

No. Self-serve plans are prepaid with no contractual SLA. Uptime is published at fikraapi.co.ke/status. If your project requires a committed uptime guarantee, contact support before you sign up.

Where do I see my usage and spend?

The dashboard shows your balance and per-key usage. Platform-wide stats are at fikraapi.co.ke/stats. Keep the request ID from each call if you need to reconcile a charge.

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