---
title: "Auto"
description: "Picks a strong model for the request from its structure: coding agents get the code list, a low cost tier starts from the cheap list, everything else takes smart."
canonical_url: "https://minirouter.sh/docs/routers/auto"
markdown_url: "https://minirouter.sh/docs/routers/auto.md"
last_updated: "2026-09-26"
---

# Auto

Picks a strong model for the request from its structure: coding agents get the code list, a low cost tier starts from the cheap list, everything else takes smart.

## Call it

```sh
curl https://api.minirouter.sh/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $MINIROUTER_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "model": "minirouter/auto",
  "messages": [
    {
      "role": "user",
      "content": "Explain an API gateway in one sentence."
    }
  ],
  "max_tokens": 256
}'
```

Examples read your key from `MINIROUTER_KEY`.

## How it picks

The request shape chooses the list. Only that list is walked.

| Request | Router |
| --- | --- |
| Default | [Auto Smart](https://minirouter.sh/docs/routers/auto-smart) |
| Tools | [Auto Code](https://minirouter.sh/docs/routers/auto-code) |
| Low cost tier | [Auto Cheap](https://minirouter.sh/docs/routers/auto-cheap) |

Live availability: [Auto models](https://minirouter.sh/models/auto).

Allowed on your key, within your cost tier, healthy, and able to take the request.

## Pricing

- **Price**: Provider cost plus 8%. Named in `x-minirouter-model`. You pay for the model that answered.
- **Bound**: At most $2.16 in and $10.80 out per million tokens. The dearest model in the list, at this router's rate.

## Notes

The default router. Full guide: [Auto router](/docs/auto-router).