You don't need a budget to start building with AI. Several options let you prototype and even run low-volume production without paying for API access.
Types of Free Access
Free Tiers
Most providers offer limited free usage—typically $5-20 worth of credits or a few thousand requests per month. Good for prototyping and learning.
Open-Source Models
Models like Llama, Mistral, and others are free to run yourself. You pay for compute (or use your own hardware) instead of per-token API costs.
Rate-Limited Free APIs
Some providers offer free access with rate limits. Fine for development, not for production traffic.
What to Watch Out For
- Rate limits: Free tiers often limit requests per minute or day. Plan around this.
- Model restrictions: The best models usually aren't in free tiers. You get capable but not cutting-edge.
- No SLA: Free access means no uptime guarantees. Don't build production systems on free tiers.
- Data policies: Some free tiers use your data for training. Check the terms.
Filter for free models
Use the "Free" toggle to find models with no per-token costs.
Find Free ModelsMaking Free Work for You
- Prototype fast: Validate your idea with free APIs before committing budget.
- Cache aggressively: Store responses for common queries to stay under limits.
- Use locally: For development, run smaller open-source models on your machine.
- Plan for paid: Build with the assumption you'll upgrade. Don't lock yourself into free-tier limitations.