GitHub Models free tier
If you already have a GitHub account, you're one click from GPT-class models in your code.
| Free tier type | Permanent free tier |
|---|---|
| What you get free | Per-model rate limits scale with your GitHub plan; the free Copilot-tier limits are enough for experiments. |
| Credit card | No card required |
| Signup | Your existing GitHub account — github.com/marketplace/models |
| API endpoint | https://models.github.ai/inference (OpenAI-compatible) |
| Top free models | GPT-4o / GPT-4.1Llama 3.3 70BPhi-4Mistral LargeDeepSeek-R1 |
Copy-paste setup
Two things: the base URL above, and a free key from the provider's site. Pick your tool:
export OPENAI_BASE_URL="https://models.github.ai/inference" export OPENAI_API_KEY="your-key-here" # then pick one of the provider's models in your tool
Settings → Models → paste your key under the matching provider, or use 'Override OpenAI Base URL' with: https://models.github.ai/inference
# ~/.codex/config.toml model_provider = "custom" [model_providers.custom] base_url = "https://models.github.ai/inference" env_key = "OPENAI_API_KEY"
Claude Code natively speaks the Anthropic API. To use the providers on this page, point it at a router/gateway (e.g. an OpenAI-to-Anthropic proxy) configured with: https://models.github.ai/inference
Choose 'OpenAI Compatible' as the provider, then paste: Base URL: https://models.github.ai/inference API key: your key Model: one of the models listed on this page
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GitHub Models — FAQ
Is GitHub Models really free?
GitHub Models is listed in our index as: Permanent free tier. Per-model rate limits scale with your GitHub plan; the free Copilot-tier limits are enough for experiments. We last probed its API endpoint on 2026-08-19. Always confirm current limits on the provider's own pricing page.
Does GitHub Models need a credit card?
No card required. Signup: Your existing GitHub account.
How do I use GitHub Models in my coding tool?
GitHub Models exposes an OpenAI-compatible endpoint (https://models.github.ai/inference). Paste that base URL plus your key into Cursor, Codex CLI, a Claude Code router, or any OpenAI-compatible tool — the snippets on this page are copy-paste ready.
Free APIs build the prototype.
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