Janitor AI Error 402: Insufficient Credits, Proxy Fixes (2026)
Janitor AI error 402 means OpenRouter credits are empty—not a site outage. Fix proxy 402/401/404, or leave BYOK. Checked August 2026.
Quick answer: Janitor AI error 402 means insufficient credits
Janitor AI error 402 means the OpenRouter proxy has insufficient credits, not that Janitor AI is necessarily down. This is an 18+ guide. Add credits to OpenRouter, switch to a model ending in `:free`, save settings, and refresh Janitor. If the message says `Prompt tokens limit`, it is the same credit-limit problem. Retrying the chat will not refill a zero or negative balance.
| Signal | What it points to | First move |
|---|---|---|
| `402` or `Prompt tokens limit` | OpenRouter credits or a per-key spending cap | Add credits or use a `:free` model |
| `401` | Invalid API credentials | Generate a new key and re-enter it |
| `429` | Rate limit | Wait, back off, or review the applicable cap |
| Site `502` | Janitor site-layer or service issue | Check the status page |
This page owns the proxy 402 path. For site-layer `502`, login `401`, `403`, Cloudflare loops, or missing chats, use **Janitor AI not working**.
What HTTP 402 means on Janitor AI
HTTP 402 is a payment-required signal from the proxy, not a Janitor homepage outage. Janitor Help labels `ERROR 402` as Insufficient Credits. OpenRouter maps HTTP 402 to credit limits: an account balance at or below zero, or an exhausted per-key cap (docs checked 2026-08-17 against OpenRouter Limits; Janitor Help articles dated 2025-07-22 and 2025-08-04).
OpenRouter also says a negative balance can block `:free` models. The practical check is your key's remaining allowance:
`GET
Look for `limit_remaining`. If the balance is not above zero, add credits before expecting a free model to work again. A new API key does not repair an empty or negative account balance.
Priya, 26, pasted an OpenRouter key into Janitor API Settings at 1 a.m. Chat worked for two nights on `deepseek/deepseek-chat-v3-0324`. Then every send returned a red `402` / `Prompt tokens limit` banner. She assumed the site was down. The banner was describing the proxy wallet, not the Janitor homepage.
Janitor AI proxy error map (402 vs 401 vs 404 vs 429)
Use the error text as the diagnostic clue. Several unrelated failures get described loosely as network problems, but the HTTP code changes the fix.
| Code or message | Meaning (Janitor Help / OpenRouter) | Fix to try |
|---|---|---|
| `402` / `Prompt tokens limit X > Y` | Insufficient balance or exhausted OpenRouter limit | Add credits, use `:free`, or raise the OpenRouter limit |
| `401 Invalid Credentials` | API key problem | New key; use it on the same device it was created on; Model Training On for free models |
| `400 Bad Request` | Wrong model name, proxy URL, or key spaces | Check model, URL, typos |
| `404 No endpoints found for model name` | Model gone or renamed | Current ID such as `deepseek/deepseek-chat-v3-0324:free` |
| `404 … matching your data policy` | Privacy setting blocks providers | Enable Model Training under OpenRouter Privacy |
| `404 No allowed providers are available` | Provider filters too tight | Clear Allowed / unblock Ignored Providers |
| `429 Rate Limited` | Daily or per-minute cap | Back off; see limits below |
| `500 Server Error` | DeepSeek issue (Janitor Help) | Try later |
| `502 Invalid Response / Model Down` | Upstream model problem | Wait or check DeepSeek R1 Free uptime |
Rate-limit numbers disagree slightly between vendors. Janitor Help (2025-07-22) states free users with <$10 credits = 50 messages/day and $10+ = 1000/day, plus 10 messages per minute (resets every 3 hours), quota reset 12AM GMT. OpenRouter Limits (checked 2026-08-17) states free-model variants (`:free`): <10 credits purchased all-time → 20 requests/minute and 50/day; ≥10 credits → 20/min and 1000/day. Treat OpenRouter's own meter as authority for OpenRouter; quote Janitor Help as what the in-app docs tell users.
How to fix Janitor AI proxy error 402
Follow these steps in order. They separate a credit problem from a bad URL or a rate limit.
1. Open the official Janitor AI status page and rule out a site incident. 2. Read the exact error string. Treat `402` or `Prompt tokens limit` as a credit-limit signal. 3. Check the OpenRouter key: `GET and inspect `limit_remaining`. 4. Add OpenRouter credits until the account balance is above zero if it is zero or negative. 5. Or switch the model ID to a `:free` variant, such as `deepseek/deepseek-chat-v3-0324:free`. 6. Re-save model, URL, and key in Janitor. Do not rely on the Check Key/Model button. 7. Hard-refresh the Janitor page after saving. 8. Stop retry-spamming the same send. Repeated 402s do not add credits and can confuse a 429 diagnosis.
The proxy URL must be exactly ` — no extra slash. Do not mix a DeepSeek key with an OpenRouter URL; that combination points to 401, not a reason to buy more OpenRouter credit.
Janitor's beginner proxy guide also lists a 50-message/day free OpenRouter option and keys that start with `sk-or-v1-`. First-pass troubleshooting there is: re-save settings, full refresh, check key spaces.
402 versus Janitor AI network error
The phrase Network Error is not specific enough to diagnose the failure. Janitor's OpenRouter Error Guide uses it for at least two other situations: a wrong API URL, and a buggy Check Key/Model button.
| What you see | Likely mechanism | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| `402` or `Prompt tokens limit X > Y` | Credits or a per-key cap | Check balance; add credits or choose `:free` |
| `A network error occurred…` after sending | Proxy URL may be wrong | Exact OpenRouter chat-completions URL, then refresh |
| `Network Error` only after Check Key/Model | Janitor says the button can be buggy | Save settings and refresh |
| `429` | Rate limit, not empty credits | Back off; check the daily / per-minute cap |
This distinction blocks the two common wrong turns: refreshing for hours when the wallet is empty, and generating new keys when the account has simply hit a daily cap.
When to stop repairing the proxy
A proxy is useful when you specifically want BYOK model control. It also adds a second billing layer: Janitor is the chat UI; OpenRouter is the wallet, key, and model endpoint.
If the actual job is ordinary Janitor app chat, a 402 is a reason to leave BYOK, not automatically buy more proxy credit. Our Janitor AI review (tested 2026-07-24) found website companion chat unusable in normal use; iOS/Android apps were the chat surface. Free is $0 with 50 msg/day; Pro $9.99/mo is unlimited app chat plus capped images; Ultimate $19.99/mo adds API.
Buying Janitor AI Pro does not refill an OpenRouter wallet. Those are different meters.
If you wanted adult companion chat rather than proxy configuration, compare hosted options in the adult companion ranking, SpicyChat (unlimited free text), or AISOUL. Full swap list: Janitor AI alternatives. AISOUL is an affiliate partner of AI Girlfriend Lab; affiliate relationships do not change numeric scores; outbound product links use `rel=sponsored`.
FAQ
### What does Janitor AI error 402 mean?
Janitor AI error 402 means the OpenRouter or proxy side has insufficient credits. It is not, by itself, evidence that the Janitor homepage is down. A zero or negative balance can also block `:free` models.
### How do I fix Janitor AI proxy error 402?
Add OpenRouter credits or switch the model ID to a `:free` variant. Save settings, hard-refresh, then stop retrying the same request.
### Why does Janitor AI show a network error instead of 402?
Janitor's Network Error label can cover a wrong proxy URL or a buggy Check Key/Model button. Read the underlying message: `Prompt tokens limit` is the 402 credit problem.
### Is Janitor AI error 402 the same as error 401?
No. 402 is insufficient credits or an exhausted limit. 401 is invalid credentials or an API-key problem.
### Does buying Janitor AI Pro fix error 402?
No. Pro is $9.99/mo for Janitor's app chat plan. OpenRouter 402 is a separate wallet.
### What is the difference between Janitor AI 402 and 429?
402 is credits. 429 is a rate limit. OpenRouter documents 50 requests/day below 10 purchased credits and 1000/day at or above 10 for `:free` variants (checked 2026-08-17).
### Should I keep using a proxy if 402 keeps returning?
Keep it only if BYOK models are the point. If you want hosted adult chat, compare the adult ranking rather than topping up a proxy you do not need.
Pricing and policies change — verify on official sites (last checked around 2026-07-24). Related: Janitor AI not working · Janitor AI review · Janitor alternatives Hosted chat instead of BYOK: SpicyChat · Adult ranking · AISOUL
Sources
Vendor pages checked 2026-08-17. Janitor product prices from the Janitor AI review test on 2026-07-24.
- Janitor AI Help: Troubleshooting Deepseek via Openrouter
- Janitor AI Help: OpenRouter Error Guide
- Janitor AI Help: Beginner proxy guide part one
- OpenRouter Limits (402 vs 429)
- OpenRouter errors and debugging
- Janitor AI status
- Janitor AI review
- AI Girlfriend Lab methodology