# free-ai-tools: A Curated Directory of Free and Low-Cost AI APIs, IDEs, and Infrastructure for Builders

> free-ai-tools is a maintained GitHub repository listing free-tier LLM APIs, coding copilots, AI-native IDEs, agent frameworks, and production infrastructure for developers who want to ship AI features without a large monthly spend. The list documents rate limits, commercial use restrictions, and pricing tiers alongside each entry.

**ShaikhWarsi/free-ai-tools** — Curated list of free and low cost AI tools, LLM APIs, IDEs, agents, and infrastructure for building real AI apps

- Repository: https://github.com/ShaikhWarsi/free-ai-tools
- Website: https://FreeAiToolsList.vercel.app
- Stars: 812 · Forks: 119
- Language: TypeScript
- License: MIT
- Published: 2026-09-10 · Updated: 2026-09-10 · Language: en
- Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/shaikhwarsi-free-ai-tools

## What the repository collects and why it exists

Free AI tool lists exist in various forms, but the README argues that most suffer from the same problems: outdated pricing from 2023, affiliate links, general-purpose directories without developer focus, and missing production-critical details like rate limits and commercial use restrictions. free-ai-tools positions itself against three specific alternatives mentioned in the README: awesome-ai (described as a general list), ai-collection (described as marketing-focused), and toolify (described as affiliate-heavy).

The stated goal is helping developers build AI applications without spending $200 per month. The scope is explicitly developer-focused: the list covers tools that developers use in production, not end-user AI chatbot apps. This means free tiers are only included if they are usable for building, not just for occasional personal queries.

The README notes the total accessible service count exceeds 550 when counting all models and sub-services from each provider. The repository also ships a companion website at https://FreeAiToolsList.vercel.app and a website/ directory that contains the web interface source code.

## Free LLM API providers and their rate limits

The repository's Quick Comparison table documents free-tier LLM providers with their model counts, request limits, and whether a credit card is required. Based on the README's table, the notable free-tier providers include:

- NVIDIA NIM: 46 models at 40 requests per minute, no credit card required.
- OpenRouter: 25 models, 50 requests per day free (1,000 per day with a $10 deposit), no credit card required.
- Groq: 20-plus models, 1,000 to 14,400 requests per day depending on the model, no credit card required.
- Google AI Studio: 9 models, 5 to 500 requests per day depending on the model, no credit card required.

The README emphasises that free tiers have changed significantly. The 2026-06-16 update removed several previously listed providers including Cohere (non-commercial only), GitHub Models (requires Copilot), SambaNova and Hyperbolic (trial-only), HuggingFace ($0.10/month), Vercel ($5/month), Mistral Codestral, Together AI, and Perplexity API. This contraction of free options is noted in a warning block in the README.

The README also notes that major providers restricted flagship models to paid tiers by early 2026. Free tiers now access lighter versions: GPT-5.5 Instant instead of Pro, Claude Sonnet and Haiku instead of Fable 5, and Gemini Flash instead of Pro. Entries marked with [verify] need re-confirmation.

## AI-native IDEs and CLI coding tools

The list covers AI-powered coding environments in two categories: IDEs with pro-grade models and IDEs with basic models. Cursor and Trae are named in the IDE section. For CLI coding tools, the README distinguishes tools with pro-grade model access from those with basic models.

The README documents significant pricing changes to several tools as of 2026:

- Windsurf switched to a quota-based model on March 18, 2026. Pro costs $20, Teams $40, and a new Max tier costs $200.
- Trae moved to a five-tier token system on February 24, 2026. Tiers are Lite at $3, Pro at $10, Pro+ at $30, and Ultra at $100.
- GitHub Copilot moved to usage-based billing (GitHub AI Credits) on June 1, 2026, with a new Max tier at $100.

The README also documents a free-coding-models CLI tool, which is listed as a category within the repository. The README lists this under its own heading but does not describe it in the truncated portion available, so details of what the CLI does beyond its name are not documented in the README excerpt.

For local models, the README lists Ollama for running models such as Llama and Qwen locally, which avoids both API costs and data sharing with remote services.

## RAG infrastructure, embeddings, and vector databases

The repository includes sections on RAG stack tools, free embedding APIs, and cheap vector database hosting. These are production components that developers typically add after the initial LLM integration.

The README organises these into named categories including RAG Stack Tools, Best Free Embedding APIs, and Cheap Vector DB Hosting. The README also covers AI hosting and GPU providers, structured output tools, and AI evaluation tools. These sections address infrastructure beyond the inference layer.

The Recommended Stacks section in the README lists production-ready stack configurations, though the README does not detail which specific combinations are recommended in the truncated excerpt. The Real-time and Streaming APIs section covers streaming inference endpoints, and the Speech Models, Image Generation Models, and Video Generation APIs sections extend the list to multimodal use cases.

This coverage distinguishes free-ai-tools from a simple model comparison list. The repository tracks the full stack a developer would need: from the LLM API through embeddings, vector storage, agent orchestration, and browser automation.

## How the list is maintained and its update history

The README includes a dated update log. Major updates include:

- 2026-06-25: Model name alignment for Claude Fable 5, Claude Opus 4.8, and GPT-5.5.
- 2026-06-16: Added OpenCode (an open-source CLI with 167,000 GitHub stars at the time of the update), AWS Kiro (a spec-driven agent family), and Xiaomi MiMo V2.5 Pro API. Removed 12 providers whose free tiers were discontinued or restricted. Updated pricing for Windsurf, Trae, Qoder, and GitHub Copilot.
- 2026-05-18: Added GitHub PR review tools.
- 2026-04-12: Added a website for navigation.
- 2026-04-11: Initial release.

The repository began in April 2026 and has received multiple substantive updates since. The README explicitly asks contributors not to raise issues or pull requests for paid, expensive personal projects, which suggests the acceptance bar for additions is specifically about free or generous tiers.

The CONTRIBUTING.md file documents contribution guidelines. The last push to the repository was on 2026-08-09. The primary limitation of any curated list is staleness: free tiers can change or disappear without warning, and the [verify] markers in the README acknowledge that some entries may already be outdated.

## What the list does not cover and when to use something else

free-ai-tools explicitly excludes paid services without meaningful free tiers. It also excludes tools that the README describes as fitting the rejected categories: outdated-pricing tools, affiliate-driven directories, and general-purpose listings that do not focus on developer use cases.

The repository does not include evaluation or testing guidance for the tools it lists. A developer picking an LLM API from the list based on rate limits still needs to evaluate whether the specific models available on that API are capable enough for their task. The README mentions SWE-bench as a verification signal for coding models (describing only pro-grade models as SWE-bench verified), but does not provide the benchmark numbers.

For teams with compliance requirements, the Commercial Use Summary section in the README is relevant. Some free-tier providers restrict commercial use, and the list documents this per entry. The README specifically notes Cohere as an example of a provider removed from the list because its free tier is non-commercial only.

The nearest alternative is browsing each provider's documentation directly. The advantage of this repository over that approach is consolidation and the update log. The disadvantage is that the repository cannot guarantee its entries are current, and a service that changes its pricing without a GitHub issue or pull request may stay incorrect in the list until someone notices.

## Conclusion

free-ai-tools serves developers who need a current, honest inventory of what AI infrastructure costs nothing or close to it. The list is most useful for building quickly with existing free tiers rather than for long-term infrastructure planning, since free tiers change without notice and the README explicitly marks entries that need re-verification with [verify]. The repository avoids paid promotions, but the content still requires your own verification before relying on it in production. The last push was on 2026-08-09. The MIT licence covers the repository's original content.

## FAQ

### Which AI tools in this list are completely free with no credit card required?

The README's Quick Comparison table marks credit card requirements per provider. NVIDIA NIM, OpenRouter, Groq, and Google AI Studio are listed as not requiring a credit card. However, the README warns that major free tiers were restricted in early 2026, and entries marked [verify] need confirmation.

### Does free-ai-tools include local model options for developers who want to avoid sending data to APIs?

Yes. The repository includes a Local Models section covering Ollama, which runs models such as Llama and Qwen locally. Local models avoid API costs and keep all data on your machine.

### How often is the free-ai-tools list updated?

The README includes a dated update log. Major updates were made on 2026-06-25, 2026-06-16, 2026-05-18, 2026-04-12, and 2026-04-11. The last push to the repository was on 2026-08-09. The list does not update on a fixed schedule.

## Sources

- [Issues](https://github.com/ShaikhWarsi/free-ai-tools/issues)
- [License: MIT](https://github.com/ShaikhWarsi/free-ai-tools/blob/main/LICENSE)
- [Project website](https://FreeAiToolsList.vercel.app)
- [README](https://github.com/ShaikhWarsi/free-ai-tools/blob/main/README.md)
- [ShaikhWarsi/free-ai-tools on GitHub](https://github.com/ShaikhWarsi/free-ai-tools)

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Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/shaikhwarsi-free-ai-tools