> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/cheahjs/free-llm-api-resources/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Free LLM API Resources

> A comprehensive directory of free and trial-credit LLM API providers for developers

<div
  style={{
background: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #cfd9e1 0%, #9ba9b9 100%)',
padding: '60px 40px',
borderRadius: '8px',
marginBottom: '40px',
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}}
>
  <h1 style={{
    fontSize: '40px',
    fontWeight: '700',
    marginBottom: '16px',
    color: '#1A1A1A'
  }}>Free LLM API Resources</h1>

  <p
    style={{
fontSize: '18px',
marginBottom: '24px',
color: '#1A1A1A',
opacity: 0.9
}}
  >
    Access 26+ free and trial-credit LLM API providers. Compare rate limits, explore available models, and start building with AI today.
  </p>

  <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: '12px', flexWrap: 'wrap' }}>
    <a href="/introduction" style={{
          background: '#5c6def',
          color: '#ffffff',
          padding: '12px 24px',
          borderRadius: '6px',
          textDecoration: 'none',
          fontWeight: '600',
          display: 'inline-block'
        }}>Get Started</a>
    <a href="/providers/free/openrouter" style={{
          background: '#ffffff',
          color: '#000000',
          padding: '12px 24px',
          borderRadius: '6px',
          textDecoration: 'none',
          fontWeight: '600',
          display: 'inline-block',
          border: '1px solid #e6e6e6'
        }}>Browse Providers</a>
  </div>
</div>

## Why Use This Directory?

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Always Up-to-Date" icon="rotate">
    Automatically updated from provider APIs to ensure accurate rate limits and model availability
  </Card>

  <Card title="Comprehensive Coverage" icon="list">
    26+ providers including OpenRouter, Google AI Studio, Groq, GitHub Models, and more
  </Card>

  <Card title="Developer-Focused" icon="code">
    Clear documentation with API examples, rate limits, and integration guides
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Quick Access

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Always Free Providers" icon="infinity" href="/providers/free/openrouter">
    Access models like Llama 4, Gemma 3, Qwen 3, and DeepSeek without any cost
  </Card>

  <Card title="Trial Credit Providers" icon="gift" href="/providers/trial/fireworks">
    Get started with $1 to $30 in free credits from premium providers
  </Card>

  <Card title="Rate Limit Guide" icon="gauge" href="/guides/rate-limits">
    Learn how to optimize your usage across multiple providers
  </Card>

  <Card title="Provider Comparison" icon="scale-balanced" href="/guides/choosing-provider">
    Find the best provider for your specific use case
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Popular Providers

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="OpenRouter" icon="route" href="/providers/free/openrouter">
    20 free models including Llama 3.3 70B, Gemma 3 27B, and Mistral Small 3.1
  </Card>

  <Card title="Groq" icon="bolt" href="/providers/free/groq">
    Ultra-fast inference with Llama 4 Scout, Compound models, and more
  </Card>

  <Card title="GitHub Models" icon="github" href="/providers/free/github-models">
    Access GPT-5, Grok 3, DeepSeek-R1, and 40+ models through GitHub
  </Card>

  <Card title="Google AI Studio" icon="google" href="/providers/free/google-ai-studio">
    Free access to Gemini 2.5 Flash, Gemma 3 models with generous quotas
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cerebras" icon="microchip" href="/providers/free/cerebras">
    High-performance inference with gpt-oss-120b and Qwen 3 235B
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cloudflare Workers AI" icon="cloud" href="/providers/free/cloudflare-workers-ai">
    70+ models with 10,000 neurons/day on the edge
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Getting Started

<Steps>
  <Step title="Explore Providers">
    Browse our directory of [free providers](/providers/free/openrouter) and [trial credit offers](/providers/trial/fireworks) to find the best fit for your project.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get API Keys">
    Sign up for your chosen provider(s) and obtain API keys. Most providers have instant signup with no payment method required.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start Building">
    Follow our [quickstart guide](/quickstart) to integrate LLM APIs into your application with code examples and best practices.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Need Help Choosing?

Not sure which provider to use? Check out our guides:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Choosing a Provider" icon="compass" href="/guides/choosing-provider">
    Compare providers by use case, model selection, and rate limits
  </Card>

  <Card title="Best Practices" icon="lightbulb" href="/guides/best-practices">
    Learn how to maximize your free tier usage and avoid common pitfalls
  </Card>
</CardGroup>