Claude Code normally needs a paid Claude plan or API credit. There's now a free, open-source project that sits between Claude Code and free AI models, so you get the same terminal without a usage bill. It has passed 66,000 stars on GitHub.
You install one thing, paste in a free key, and type one command. Claude Code opens the way it always does, and a free model answers instead of Claude.
How it works
It works like a bridge. Claude Code sends each request to a small server on your own computer, and that server passes it to a model from whichever provider you picked. The answer comes back the same way, so Claude Code doesn't change.
| What you get | What it means |
|---|---|
| Same Claude Code | The same terminal, commands and tools you already use. |
| Free models | NVIDIA's free key is the quick start. It connects to 61 providers in all, free, paid and local. |
| Automatic fallback | If a provider goes down or hits a limit, it can switch to another model by itself. |
| Other coding tools | It lists 12 in all, including Codex, Cline, OpenCode and Aider. |
What you should know first
- The answers do not come from Claude. Claude Code is the interface, and a different model does the thinking, so quality depends on the model you pick.
- Free limits belong to each provider and can change at any time. The project says 1.3 billion free tokens a month across its free providers, but that isn't a promise from any of them.
- Your code and prompts go to the provider you pick. Read that provider's data policy before using it on private or client work.
- It's an independent project, not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic.
- ⚠ Cursor isn't on the project's list of supported tools as of 5 November 2026, so don't count on it. Codex is.
Free, for your email
Get the full setup steps + the copy-paste setup prompt
The rest of this guide (5 more sections, 3 copy-paste prompts) opens right here. The setup prompt, one paste into Claude that sets it all up, comes by email only. Use your real address.
Unlocks: Step 1: install it · Step 2: start it · Step 3: add your free NVIDIA key · Step 4: run Claude Code · Keeping it running
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