OpenRouter (free models) free tier
One key, hundreds of models — the easiest way to test which model fits your task for $0.
| Free tier type | Permanent free tier |
|---|---|
| What you get free | Free-model traffic is rate-limited (around 20 requests/minute, with a daily cap that grows if you hold a small credit balance). |
| Credit card | No card required |
| Signup | Free API key — openrouter.ai |
| API endpoint | https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 (OpenAI-compatible) |
| Top free models | Rotating ':free' variants of popular open modelsDeepSeek, Qwen, Llama and more |
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://openrouter.ai/api/v1" 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://openrouter.ai/api/v1
# ~/.codex/config.toml model_provider = "custom" [model_providers.custom] base_url = "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1" 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://openrouter.ai/api/v1
Choose 'OpenAI Compatible' as the provider, then paste: Base URL: https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 API key: your key Model: one of the models listed on this page
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OpenRouter (free models) — FAQ
Is OpenRouter (free models) really free?
OpenRouter (free models) is listed in our index as: Permanent free tier. Free-model traffic is rate-limited (around 20 requests/minute, with a daily cap that grows if you hold a small credit balance). We last probed its API endpoint on 2026-08-19. Always confirm current limits on the provider's own pricing page.
Does OpenRouter (free models) need a credit card?
No card required. Signup: Free API key.
How do I use OpenRouter (free models) in my coding tool?
OpenRouter (free models) exposes an OpenAI-compatible endpoint (https://openrouter.ai/api/v1). 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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