:free models by OpenRouter

A single key → dozens of models tagged “:free”. One base URL, OpenAI-compatible.

Access
Free API tier
Free limits
20 RPM · 50-1000 RPD
Modality
text, code
Credit card
Not required
Commercial use
Allowed
Rate limit
20 RPM · 1000 RPD
Performance tier
Solid · ~ Medium
Base URL
https://openrouter.ai/api/v1
Last verified
June 2026

Quickstart

curl https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" \
  -d '{"model":"deepseek/deepseek-chat:free","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"hi"}]}'

Frequently asked

Is :free models free?

Yes. OpenRouter offers it as Free API tier with these limits: 20 RPM · 50-1000 RPD. No credit card is required.

Can I use :free models commercially?

Yes, commercial use is allowed. Verify the current license or terms before shipping.

How do I start using :free models?

A single key → dozens of models tagged “:free”. One base URL, OpenAI-compatible.

Building with this model?

We wire free-tier and open-weight models into production stacks: evals against your real inputs, failover, cost caps.

Free monthly update

The monthly free-models update

What is newly free, what got rate-limited, and what to switch to. One email a month. Unsubscribe anytime.

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