💰 100% Free & Open Source

Free LLM API Proxy Tools

Complete guide to no-cost LLM gateway solutions. Open source platforms, generous free tiers, and budget-friendly options for developers, startups, and small teams.

8+
Free Tools
$0
Cost to Start
100%
Open Source
∞
Self-Host Options

🔓 Fully Open Source Solutions

MIT License

LiteLLM

Multi-Provider Gateway

The most comprehensive open source LLM proxy supporting 100+ providers. Self-host for complete control with no licensing fees. Perfect for teams needing multi-provider flexibility.

✓ 100+ LLM providers supported
✓ Full self-hosting capability
✓ Cost tracking & monitoring
✓ Load balancing & failover
Free Tier Limits
Self-hosted Unlimited
Providers All 100+
API calls Unlimited
Quick Start
pip install litellm
litellm --model gpt-3.5-turbo
Apache 2.0

Helicone

Observability Platform

Open-core observability platform with powerful analytics. Free self-hosted version includes core logging and analytics features. Great for teams focused on usage insights.

✓ Advanced analytics dashboard
✓ Request/response logging
✓ Cost attribution tools
✓ Performance metrics
Free Tier Limits
Self-hosted Unlimited
Cloud free tier 50K requests/mo
Retention 7 days
Quick Start
pip install helicone
# Add to your OpenAI calls
openai.api_base = "https://oai.helicone.ai/v1"
MIT License

LocalAI

Self-Contained AI

Fully self-contained, OpenAI-compatible API running entirely locally. No external API calls required after setup. Perfect for privacy-focused deployments and reducing API costs.

✓ Complete local execution
✓ No internet required
✓ GPU acceleration support
✓ Multiple model formats
Free Tier Limits
Licensing 100% Free
API calls Unlimited
Models Any local model
Quick Start
docker run -p 8080:8080 \
localai/localai:latest
MIT License

Ollama

Local Model Runner

Simplest way to run LLMs locally with OpenAI-compatible API. One-command setup, cross-platform support, and native Apple Silicon optimization. Ideal for development and prototyping.

✓ One-command installation
✓ Cross-platform support
✓ Built-in model library
✓ REST API included
Free Tier Limits
Cost 100% Free
API calls Unlimited
Models All local models
Quick Start
curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh
ollama run llama2

🎁 Generous Free Tiers

Free Tier

OpenRouter

Multi-Model Platform

Free access to multiple AI models with no API key required for basic usage. Includes free models and pay-per-use for premium providers. Great for experimenting with different models.

✓ Free models available
✓ No API key for free tier
✓ Multiple model access
✓ OpenAI-compatible API
Free Tier Limits
Free models Unlimited
Rate limits Per model
API key Not required
Free Tier

Together AI

Open Model Platform

Free credits for new users with access to open-source models. Fast inference speeds and OpenAI-compatible API. Excellent for exploring open-source LLMs.

✓ Free starting credits
✓ Open-source models
✓ Fast inference
✓ Easy API integration
Free Tier Limits
Free credits $1-5 value
Models All open models
After credits Pay per use

💡 Tips for Maximizing Free Resources

Combine Multiple Tools

Use LiteLLM as your gateway, Helicone for analytics, and Ollama for local testing. Each free tool serves different needs.

Self-Host When Possible

Self-hosting eliminates usage limits entirely. You only pay for infrastructure, which can be very affordable with cloud providers.

Use Local Models for Development

Ollama and LocalAI let you develop without API costs. Switch to cloud providers only for production.

Implement Caching

Enable caching in your proxy to reduce duplicate API calls. This extends your free tier limits significantly.

Monitor Usage Carefully

Use Helicone's free tier to track spending. Set alerts before hitting limits on paid services.

Take Advantage of Trials

Many enterprise platforms offer free trials. Use them for evaluation before committing to paid plans.

Free Tools Quick Comparison

Tool Type Self-Host API Calls Best For
LiteLLM Gateway ✓ Unlimited Multi-provider
Helicone Analytics ✓ 50K/mo free Observability
LocalAI Local API ✓ Unlimited Privacy
Ollama Local Runner ✓ Unlimited Development
OpenRouter Platform ~ Free models Experimentation

🔗 Continue Exploring

Learn more: Open Source Gateways | Self-Hosted Guide | Tools Comparison | Ollama Setup Guide