freellmpool › guide

How to run Claude Code, Codex, or Aider on free LLM models

You can run Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Aider, Cline, Continue, or Cursor on free LLM tiers by pointing them at a local proxy that speaks the OpenAI and Anthropic APIs. The open-source tool freellmpool is that proxy: it pools the free tiers of 16 providers (Groq, Cerebras, NVIDIA, Gemini, OpenRouter, Cloudflare, Mistral, Cohere and more) behind one endpoint, with automatic failover. Two providers need no API key, so you can start for free in under a minute and change no code in the agent.

1. Install and start the proxy

pip install freellmpool
freellmpool proxy            # serves http://localhost:8080

That's all the setup. The proxy now accepts both OpenAI (/v1/chat/completions) and Anthropic (/v1/messages) requests and routes each to a free provider, failing over when one is rate-limited.

2. Point your agent at it

Claude Code

export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=http://localhost:8080
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=anything   # ignored
claude

Or run freellmpool code claude to print these steps. (The Claude Code path is experimental: text and tool use work; no vision yet.)

OpenAI Codex CLI

export OPENAI_BASE_URL=http://localhost:8080/v1
export OPENAI_API_KEY=anything
codex

Aider

export OPENAI_API_BASE=http://localhost:8080/v1
export OPENAI_API_KEY=anything
aider --model gpt-4o-mini      # alias resolves to a free model

Cline, Continue, and Cursor work the same way — set the OpenAI base URL to the proxy. Run freellmpool code <agent> for the exact per-agent setup.

Free-tier models are smaller than frontier models. They're good for scaffolding, refactors, tests, commit messages, and everyday edits — not a substitute for a frontier model on the hardest reasoning. Limits reset at UTC midnight.

3. (Optional) add free keys for more capacity

The keyless providers get you started; adding free API keys for Groq, Cerebras, Gemini and others unlocks more models and higher daily limits. Each provider's free signup is listed in the accounts guide. freellmpool spreads load across whatever you have and tracks per-day usage so you drain each tier evenly.

FAQ

Can I really use Claude Code for free?

Yes, for the experimental text/tool-use path: freellmpool's proxy implements the Anthropic Messages API and routes it to free models, so Claude Code runs against them with no code changes. Quality is bounded by the free-tier models, and there's no vision support yet.

Is this against the agents' terms?

You're pointing the agent at a different OpenAI/Anthropic-compatible endpoint — the same mechanism those tools officially support for custom base URLs and local models. You're using the LLM providers' own free tiers; don't abuse them.

Which coding agents are supported?

Any tool that lets you set an OpenAI or Anthropic base URL: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex CLI, Aider, Cline, Continue, Cursor, OpenCode, and more.

Part of freellmpool (MIT, free, open source). Updated 2026-06-03.