Model Router
OpenRouter
A model routing platform that exposes many hosted models through one API, including free model options when available.
- Pricing
- Free models and paid usage
- Platforms
- API, Web
- Website
- https://openrouter.ai
- Free access note
- OpenRouter lists free models that can be used by API-key-based coding tools.
- Caveat
- Free models can change, be rate-limited, or be slower than paid routes.
2026 Positioning
OpenRouter is useful for AI coding tools that let you bring your own API key, such as opencode, Cline, Continue, and similar agent workflows.
Best For
- Developers testing multiple models without signing up for every provider separately.
- Users trying free or low-cost models before paying for premium inference.
- Agent tools that support OpenAI-compatible API endpoints.
Watch Outs
Free models can be rate-limited, slower, or unavailable. Treat OpenRouter as a flexible routing layer, not a guaranteed free compute source.