Let’s be real — AI APIs are powerful but can get expensive fast. But good news? There are many legit ways to get free API access for learning, testing, or even launching MVPs.
Here’s the ultimate A-Z guide for getting free AI API keys in 2025. No sketchy stuff — just smart dev hacks.
🧠 1. OpenAI – Free Credits via Sign Up + Microsoft
- Visit: https://platform.openai.com
- Free credits: ~$5 for new accounts
- Microsoft Copilot / Azure also gives OpenAI access
- Tip: Use a school email for more trusted access
- Rate limit: Around 10k tokens per month for free users
🔥 2. Gemini API (Google AI)
- Visit: https://makersuite.google.com/app
- Google offers Gemini Pro API for free
- No credit card needed
- Can be accessed via
@google/generative-ainpm package - Use your personal Gmail or Google Workspace ID
💻 3. Mistral AI
- Visit: https://console.mistral.ai
- Supports open-weight LLMs (like Mixtral)
- Free signup, no card needed
- Perfect for embedding into local apps (less censorship)
⚡ 4. Cohere AI
- Visit: https://dashboard.cohere.com
- Free API access with rate limits
- Useful for embeddings, classification, summarization
- Requires sign-up + email verification
🤖 5. HuggingFace Inference API
- Visit: https://huggingface.co
- Many models available with free tier
- 50–100 free API calls per day
- Tip: Use with
transformers.jsfor frontend apps
🔐 6. Free Open Source Alternatives (No API Needed)
If you don’t want to depend on APIs at all:
- Local LLMs with Ollama:
brew install ollama→ollama run mistral - LM Studio: Full app for running models locally on Mac
- TextGen WebUI / KoboldCPP: Web interface for local models
🇱🇰 Sinhala Tip
ඔයාට Sri Lanka වලින් AI project එකක් build කරන්න නම්, මේ API එකෙන් එකක් use කරන්න. Gemini API and HuggingFace හොඳයි lightweight app වලට. ChatGPT වලට try karanna OpenAI free key එක (Google account වලින් බලන්න).
💭 Final Advice
- Never post your API keys publicly (ඒක leak වුනොත් limit ඉවරයි)
- Use .env files in your project for safe key storage
- Rotate keys if your usage suddenly spikes
Want a follow-up guide? I can write one on how to safely integrate these keys into Next.js, React, Flutter, or Supabase apps.