OpenRouter at a glance
- Provider
- OpenRouter
- Models
- Models whose ID ends in :free (the list changes often)
- What's free
- OpenRouter offers free variants of some models; their IDs end in ":free". Requests to these variants cost nothing, but platform rate limits apply.
- Limits
- 20 requests per minute. 50 requests per day if you've bought less than 10 credits in total; 1,000 requests per day once you've bought at least 10 credits (all-time). Daily counters run on UTC days. If your account balance is negative, even free models can return 402 errors. The GET /api/v1/key endpoint shows your free-model daily counter.
- Deadline / expiry
- Ongoing (individual free models come and go)
- Extended?
- Not applicable
- Commercial use?
- Not specified on the official page; check the provider's terms.
- Card required?
- No for the 50-requests/day level. The 1,000/day level requires buying at least 10 credits.
- Phone required?
- Not stated on the official page.
- Region
- Not stated on the official page
- Last verified
- Official source
- OpenRouter Docs: API rate limits (free usage limits) ↗
How to get it (official steps)
- Create an OpenRouter account and an API key
- Browse free models on the official Free Models collection page
- Use the model ID with the :free suffix
- Optional: buying 10 credits raises the daily free-model limit from 50 to 1,000 requests
Use one account per person and follow the provider's terms. We don't cover multiple accounts, bulk sign-ups or reselling keys; providers ban them and often pull free offers because of abuse.
Good to know
Free models are often new or stealth models; availability changes without notice.
How we verified this
We checked this offer on Oct 9, 2026 against the provider's own official docs: OpenRouter Docs: API rate limits (free usage limits) ↗. Where the provider doesn't publish a number, we say “not published” and don't guess. Offers change often; the official page always wins.
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenRouter really free?
OpenRouter offers free variants of some models; their IDs end in ":free". Requests to these variants cost nothing, but platform rate limits apply.
What are the OpenRouter free limits?
20 requests per minute. 50 requests per day if you've bought less than 10 credits in total; 1,000 requests per day once you've bought at least 10 credits (all-time). Daily counters run on UTC days. If your account balance is negative, even free models can return 402 errors. The GET /api/v1/key endpoint shows your free-model daily counter.
When does it end?
Ongoing (individual free models come and go)
Do I need a credit card or phone number?
Card: No for the 50-requests/day level. The 1,000/day level requires buying at least 10 credits. Phone: Not stated on the official page.
Can I use it commercially?
Not specified on the official page; check the provider's terms.
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← All free AI API credits & offers