Vibe coding · Draft · Free vibe coding stack · Part 1

Free AI API keys for vibe coding (2026)

Google AI Studio, Groq, Mistral, Qwen, DeepSeek, Cerebras, GitHub Models, OpenRouter & more — create keys step by step and plug them into Cursor or VS Code Cline.

~18 min read

I get this question constantly in vibe-coding chats and social groups: “Where do I get free API keys so I can keep building without burning Cursor / Claude / GPT credits?” So I’m starting a series — Free vibe coding stack — collecting the free (or freemium) cloud pieces you actually need. Part 1 is API keys. Later parts cover free hosting, backends, databases, auth, email, and monitoring.

This guide is cloud API only. No Ollama, no LM Studio, no “download 40GB of weights.” If it needs a local GPU, it’s out of scope for Part 1.

Provider map

*OpenRouter free routes work without a card; a one-time credit top-up raises free-model daily caps. Live limits live in each provider dashboard — don’t treat blog tables as SLAs.

1. Google AI Studio (Gemini) — create an API key

Still the best all-rounder free tier for most vibe coders: Gemini Flash / Pro text models, no billing account required to start. Free-tier prompts may be used to improve Google products — keep secrets and client data out.

1. Open aistudio.google.com and sign in with Google.
2. Open the API keys / Get API key flow (sidebar or project settings).
3. Create or select a Google Cloud project when prompted — the key is tied to that project’s quota.
4. Click Create API key, copy it once, store it in a password manager or .env (never commit it).
5. Check rate limits for that project inside AI Studio — Google no longer publishes a single public free-tier table; your project view is the source of truth.

Docs: Gemini API keys.

2. Groq — free fast inference key

Groq is the “I need tokens now” provider: Llama and friends at interactive speed, OpenAI-compatible API, no card for the free tier.

1. Go to console.groq.com and create an account.
2. Open API Keys.
3. Create a key, name it (e.g. cursor-dev), copy immediately.
4. Base URL for OpenAI-compatible clients: https://api.groq.com/openai/v1.
5. Watch RPM / RPD in the console — free caps are generous per day but tight per minute.

3. Cerebras Cloud — free speed alternative

Another OpenAI-compatible speed lane. Free tier is self-serve: email signup, no waitlist, no card for free quotas (confirm live token/day caps in console).

1. Sign up at cloud.cerebras.ai and verify email.
2. Open API Keys in the left nav.
3. Generate a key (csk-…), copy once.
4. Base URL: https://api.cerebras.ai/v1 — see Cerebras quickstart.

4. Mistral Studio — free mode API key

Mistral’s developer console (Studio / La Plateforme) enables Free mode with usage and rate limits — no credit card required for free mode. Useful for Codestral and Mistral open models.

1. Create an account at console.mistral.ai.
2. Confirm you’re on Free mode / Experiment (billing may still need a plan selection even when free — check console).
3. Sidebar → API Keys → Create new key.
4. Set a name + optional expiration; copy the secret once.
5. Test against https://api.mistral.ai/v1 — docs: Activate Studio and generate an API key.

5. OpenRouter — one key, many free models

OpenRouter aggregates providers. Models tagged :free are the free routes. Account-wide free caps are modest (e.g. low requests/day) unless you add a small credit balance — still the easiest way to try DeepSeek / Qwen / Llama free variants without juggling five consoles.

1. Sign up at openrouter.ai.
2. Open Keys → create a key → copy.
3. Filter the model catalog for Free / :free suffixes.
4. Base URL: https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 (OpenAI-compatible).
5. Optional: one-time credit top-up raises free-route daily limits — read the current free-model docs in-dashboard.

6. GitHub Models — free with your GitHub account

GitHub Models gives rate-limited access to a catalog of models for prototyping. Ideal if you already live in GitHub.

1. Sign in at GitHub Marketplace → Models (or Models playground from docs).
2. Accept terms / enable Models access for your account or org.
3. Create a fine-grained PAT or use the Models key flow documented in GitHub’s Models docs (scopes change — follow the current “Get started with GitHub Models” guide).
4. Copy the token; store it like any API key.
5. Use their documented endpoint / Azure AI Inference-compatible clients — rate limits are free-tier and reset on a published schedule.

7. Qwen — Alibaba Cloud Model Studio / DashScope

Qwen APIs run through Alibaba Cloud’s Model Studio / DashScope. Free or trial quotas depend on region and promotions — create an account in the console that matches your region.

1. Open Alibaba Cloud Model Studio (or DashScope console for your region).
2. Complete account / real-name steps if required for your region.
3. Create an API key under API-KEY management.
4. Copy the key; note the correct regional base URL from official docs.
5. Check free quota / billing alerts before agent loops.

8. DeepSeek — cheap API (honest free status)

Important: DeepSeek’s chat app is free; the API is pay-as-you-go. New accounts sometimes get a small granted balance — not a permanent free tier. Still worth a key because pricing is usually very low, and OpenRouter often exposes DeepSeek-class models on :free routes for zero-cost experiments.

1. Register at platform.deepseek.com (separate from chat.deepseek.com).
2. Open API Keys → create key → copy sk-… once.
3. Check Billing for any granted balance; top up if you need sustained use.
4. Base URL: https://api.deepseek.com (OpenAI-compatible).

9. More free / freemium cloud keys worth having

Cloudflare Workers AI

1. Create a free Cloudflare account at dash.cloudflare.com.
2. Enable Workers / Workers AI; create an API token with Workers AI permissions.
3. Use the Workers AI REST API or bindings — free daily neurons apply; check the current free allocation in docs.

NVIDIA build.nvidia.com / NIM

1. Sign in at build.nvidia.com with an NVIDIA account.
2. Pick a model → get API key / generate code snippet from the catalog.
3. Trial / free credits vary — treat as evaluation keys, not unlimited production.

Hugging Face

1. Create an account at huggingface.co.
2. Settings → Access Tokens → create a token with inference permissions you need.
3. Call Inference Providers / Inference API endpoints that still offer free or credit-based access — catalog and pricing move often.

Cohere Trial

1. Sign up at dashboard.cohere.com.
2. Create an API key under API Keys.
3. Trial / evaluation limits apply — fine for prototyping, not high-RPM agents.

SambaNova Cloud

1. Sign up at cloud.sambanova.ai — Free tier without a payment method.
2. Create an API key in the console.
3. Base URL: https://api.sambanova.ai/v1 (OpenAI-compatible). Free tier is evaluation-scale (tight RPD) — see SambaNova rate limits.

Where to use the keys: Cursor BYOK & VS Code Cline

Keys are useless until your editor can call them. Two practical paths for vibe coding:

Cursor — Bring Your Own Key

1. Install / open Cursor (homepage — same as our Tools page).
2. Go to Settings → Models.
3. Native fields: paste Google Gemini (and OpenAI / Anthropic if you have paid keys) into the matching API key slots and verify.
4. OpenAI-compatible providers (Groq, Cerebras, OpenRouter, DeepSeek, SambaNova): use the OpenAI API key field + Override OpenAI Base URL with that provider’s /v1 endpoint, then enable the model IDs you need.
5. Start or continue your project — Chat / Agent routes that honor BYOK will bill the provider (or free tier), not only Cursor’s included pool. Tab completion and some Cursor features may still use Cursor’s own models.

Get Cursor

VS Code + Cline

1. Install VS Code (free).
2. Install the Cline extension from the marketplace.
3. Open Cline settings → choose provider (OpenRouter, OpenAI-compatible, Gemini, etc.).
4. Paste the matching API key + base URL / model ID.
5. Point Cline at your project folder and keep building — same keys, more flexible provider matrix than Cursor’s native list.

Practical tips

• One key per tool — Cursor key, Cline key, CI key. Easier to revoke when something leaks.
• Never commit keys — use .env + .gitignore; rotate if a key hits GitHub.
• Failover — when Groq 429s, hop to Cerebras or Gemini; when Gemini throttles, open OpenRouter :free.
• Free-tier data use — Google free tier may train/improve products; don’t paste production secrets.
• Quotas move — screenshot your dashboard limits the day you set up; revisit monthly.

What’s next in Free vibe coding stack

API keys are the fuel. Coming parts in this series:

• Free hosting — static + serverless options
• Backend & database — free Postgres / KV / edge
• Auth — free user login stacks
• Email & monitoring — transactional mail + alerts without a credit card day-one

Browse tools we actually use on vibecoderslife.com/tools (Cursor, Neon, Replit, v0, and more — affiliate links marked where active).

FAQ

Do I need a credit card for free AI API keys?

Often no — Google AI Studio, Groq, Cerebras, Mistral Free mode, SambaNova Free tier, GitHub Models, and Cloudflare’s free Workers AI allotment typically start without a card. OpenRouter works without a card for :free models; credits are optional. DeepSeek API expects a balance after any promo credit.

Which free key should I add to Cursor first?

Gemini (native) for everyday coding help, then Groq or OpenRouter via OpenAI-compatible base URL for speed / model shopping.

Is local Ollama “free API”?

It’s free compute on your machine — out of scope here. This series part is cloud keys only.

Can I use these keys in production?

Free tiers are for learning, demos, and light side projects. Production traffic needs paid tiers, ZDR options, and proper secrets management.