Models / Use cases
Free AI models — every way to run models at $0
There are three real ways to use AI models free: starter credits (every CompanyFabric account includes them — no card required), models whose providers run generous free tiers, and open-weight models you can download and run on your own hardware. These picks cover all three, ranked by how much free capability you actually get.
Ranked
The picks
GLM-5.2
$0.5/Mtok inThe most generous free access in the frontier-adjacent class — and open weights if you outgrow the tier.
$0.5 / M input · $1.8 / M output
DeepSeek V4
$0.3/Mtok inOpen weights under an MIT-style license: free to self-host, and cheap enough via API that starter credits go a long way.
$0.3 / M input · $0.9 / M output
DeepSeek V4 Flash
$0.15/Mtok inThe V4 family's volume tier — starter credits cover hundreds of calls at its prices.
$0.15 / M input · $0.45 / M output
Qwen 3.6
$0.4/Mtok inApache-2.0 open weights — the least restrictive license in the list for commercial self-hosting.
$0.4 / M input · $1.2 / M output
Kimi K2.6
$0.6/Mtok inThe agentic value tier — free starter credits stretch furthest on models priced like this.
$0.6 / M input · $1.8 / M output
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is there a catch to the free starter credits?
No card, no subscription — every new account gets starter credits that work on any model in the library, frontier models included. When they run out you choose: prepaid credits, or BYOK with your own provider keys at 0% platform fee.
Are open-weight models really free?
The weights are free to download and run; the GPU isn't. Self-hosting a 100B-class model needs serious hardware — which is why most teams prototype through a metered API first and only move to their own GPUs at sustained scale.
What's the cheapest way to keep using a model after the free tier?
For steady usage, prepaid credits at metered per-token prices. If you already have a provider contract, BYOK routes on your key at 0% fee — the free credits, credits, and BYOK all work behind the same API key.
One key. Every model. Exact prices.
Route every pick on this page through one key. Free starter credits included — no subscription required.