Free AI API tiers are hard to compare. Every provider uses different units (tokens, requests, credits, dollars), different reset periods (per-minute, per-day, per-month, one-time), and different restrictions (credit card required, expiry, data training policies).
This tracker collects every major provider's free tier in one place. We verify each limit against official documentation and update it monthly. Data collected July 11, 2026.
Full comparison table
All data verified against official provider documentation as of July 11, 2026.
| Provider | Free amount | Reset period | Free model | RPM/RPD | Card required | Expiry | Data used for training | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | $5 credit | One-time (3 months) | GPT-4o-mini, GPT-4o | 60 RPM | Yes | 3 months from signup | No | Yes |
| Anthropic | $5 credit | One-time (30 days) | Claude 3.5 Haiku | 50 RPM | Yes | 30 days from signup | No | Yes |
| Google Gemini | 60 requests/min | Per-minute (daily cap) | Gemini 2.0 Flash | 60 RPM / 1,500 RPD | No | No expiry | No* | Yes |
| xAI / Grok | Limited free tier | Per-month | Grok-2 | Limited | No | No expiry | Yes | Varies |
| DeepSeek | 500K tokens | One-time | DeepSeek-V2 / R1 | 60 RPM | No | No expiry | — | Yes |
| Groq | Unlimited (rate-limited) | Per-minute | Llama 3, Mixtral | 30 RPM | No | No expiry | No | Yes |
| Together AI | 25K requests/month | Per-month | Mixtral, Llama, Qwen | 10 RPM | Yes | No expiry | No | Yes |
| Fireworks AI | $1 credit | One-time | Llama, Qwen, DeepSeek | 60 RPM | Yes | No expiry | No | Yes |
| Cerebras | Limited free tier | Per-minute | Cerebras-GPT | 30 RPM | No | No expiry | No | Yes |
| Mistral | Limited free tier | Per-minute | Mistral Small / Medium | 10 RPM | Yes | No expiry | No | Yes |
| Plugsky | 100K tokens/day | Daily | All free models (micro, lite, nano) | 10 RPM | No | No expiry | No | Yes |
* Google does not train on API data, but may use free-tier data for product improvement with opt-out available. Information last verified July 11, 2026. — Download table ↓
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Provider Free amount Reset period Free model RPM/RPD Card required Expiry Data used for training Commercial use
OpenAI $5 credit One-time (3 months) GPT-4o-mini, GPT-4o 60 RPM Yes 3 months from signup No Yes
Anthropic $5 credit One-time (30 days) Claude 3.5 Haiku 50 RPM Yes 30 days from signup No Yes
Google Gemini 60 requests/min Per-minute (daily cap) Gemini 2.0 Flash 60 RPM / 1,500 RPD No No expiry No* Yes
xAI / Grok Limited free tier Per-month Grok-2 Limited No No expiry Yes Varies
DeepSeek 500K tokens One-time DeepSeek-V2 / R1 60 RPM No No expiry — Yes
Groq Unlimited (rate-limited) Per-minute Llama 3, Mixtral 30 RPM No No expiry No Yes
Together AI 25K requests/month Per-month Mixtral, Llama, Qwen 10 RPM Yes No expiry No Yes
Fireworks AI $1 credit One-time Llama, Qwen, DeepSeek 60 RPM Yes No expiry No Yes
Cerebras Limited free tier Per-minute Cerebras-GPT 30 RPM No No expiry No Yes
Mistral Limited free tier Per-minute Mistral Small / Medium 10 RPM Yes No expiry No Yes
Plugsky 100K tokens/day Daily All free models (micro, lite, nano) 10 RPM No No expiry No YesBest free tier by use case
| Use case | Best provider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Testing and prototyping | Plugsky | No card, no expiry, 100K tokens/day, 31+ models via one API |
| Development and CI/CD | Plugsky or Groq | Consistent daily limits, no expiry, no surprise billing |
| Production trial | OpenAI or Anthropic | $5 credit gives enough volume for a real evaluation |
| Learning and education | Plugsky or Google Gemini | Generous free access, no credit card, multiple models |
| Heavy experimentation | DeepSeek | 500K one-time tokens with no card required |
Limitations and caveats
- Data collected July 11, 2026 — Provider free tiers change frequently. Always verify current limits on the provider's website before committing.
- Rate limits vary — RPM (requests per minute) shown here are typical values. Some providers also enforce TPM (tokens per minute), RPD (requests per day), or concurrent request limits.
- "Limited free tier" — Some providers (xAI, Cerebras, Mistral) do not publish exact limits. The available amount may change based on demand or region.
- Credit cards — Providers that require a card may not charge it, but they use it for identity verification and anti-abuse.
- Data training policies — "Data used for training" refers to whether the provider uses your API inputs/outputs to train their models. Opt-out may be available for some providers.
Changelog
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| Jul 11, 2026 | Initial publication. 11 providers tracked. |
Frequently asked questions
Which AI API has the best free tier?
It depends on your use case. Plugsky offers 100,000 tokens/day with no credit card and no expiry. DeepSeek offers 500K tokens one-time. OpenAI and Anthropic give $5 credit but require a card. Google Gemini has a generous free tier with 60 requests per minute.
Do I need a credit card for a free AI API tier?
OpenAI, Anthropic, Together AI, Fireworks AI, and Mistral require a credit card even for their free tiers. Plugsky, Google Gemini, xAI/Grok, DeepSeek, Groq, and Cerebras do not require a card for free access.
Which free tier is best for learning AI development?
Plugsky is the best choice for learning — no credit card, no expiry, 100K tokens/day, and access to 31+ models through a single OpenAI-compatible API. Google Gemini and DeepSeek are also good options for experimentation.
How often are the free tier limits updated?
This tracker is updated monthly. The data was last collected on July 11, 2026 from official provider documentation and websites. Limits may change between updates.
Can I use free tiers for commercial applications?
Most free tiers allow commercial use, but some have restrictions. Plugsky, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Gemini permit commercial use on free tiers. Check each provider's terms for specifics.
Last updated Jul 2026. Prices and availability verified at time of writing — check provider pages for current rates.
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