Claude Code + OpenRouter = Free UNLIMITED Coding (No RAM Needed)

Summary

This video demonstrates how to run Claude Code completely for free using Open Router, eliminating the need for high-RAM local installations. The creator walks through obtaining an Open Router API key, configuring local and global settings, and selecting free models suitable for AI coding. Viewers learn to navigate rate limits, switch between free and premium models, and optimize their setup for coding tasks. The guide highlights performance differences between free models and paid alternatives like Sonet 4.6 or MiniAX 2.5, showing how to balance cost, efficiency, and reliability while maintaining access to powerful AI coding tools on virtually any device.

Takeaways

• 😀 You can run Claude Code completely for free using cloud-based models without needing to install local models on your device.
• 😀 If your computer has limited resources (like RAM), you can still use Claude Code by running it on a cloud service or VPS, avoiding local installations.
• 😀 Popular AI models like GPT-OSS require large amounts of VRAM (14 GB), which is impractical for many users, but Open Router offers a solution for free model access.
• 😀 Open Router provides an API that grants access to various AI models, including Claude, GPT, and Gemini, all with free tokens for both input and output.
• 😀 The Quen 3 coder model, with 480 billion parameters, is free to use, though it requires enormous VRAM to run efficiently (290 GB).
• 😀 You can scope Open Router to a local folder for project-specific use or set it globally to use free models across all your Cloud Code projects.
• 😀 To integrate Open Router with Claude Code, you'll need an API key and the appropriate settings added to a settings.json file.
• 😀 Even without $10 of credit, users who have used Open Router before can successfully run free models in Claude Code without issue.
• 😀 If you encounter errors when using a free model (due to high demand or rate limits), switching to different models or the general free models router can help resolve it.
• 😀 For a globally accessible setup, you can apply your local configuration to a global Claude configuration file, enabling the use of free models across all projects.
• 😀 MiniAX 2.5 is a popular choice for AI coding, outperforming other models like Opus 4.6 for coding tasks at a much lower cost per million tokens.

Q & A

What is the main goal of the video?

The main goal of the video is to show how to run Claude Code completely for free using Open Router without needing to install any local models, making it possible to use AI models even on devices with limited resources like Raspberry Pi or VPS.

What are the requirements to run large AI models like GPT-OSS or Quen 3 on local devices?

Running models like GPT-OSS or Quen 3 on local devices requires significant resources, particularly VRAM. For example, GPT-OSS requires 14GB of VRAM, and the Quen 3 model requires 290GB of VRAM, which is impractical for most consumer-grade hardware.

How does Open Router help in using AI models without heavy local resources?

Open Router allows users to access various AI models by simply obtaining an API key, eliminating the need to install resource-heavy models locally. It provides free access to several models, including Claude, GPT, and Gemini, with no input or output token costs.

Why might users face issues when using free models like the Quen 3 480 billion parameter model?

Users may face issues like rate limiting when using free models because these models often experience high demand, leading to temporary blocks or delays in processing requests.

What is the process for configuring Claude Code to use Open Router with a free model?

To configure Claude Code to use Open Router, users need to create a settings.json file with specific variables, such as the Open Router API key and the Anthropics-related API settings. They can then either scope it to a local folder or apply the configuration globally across all projects.

What are the differences between using local configuration and global configuration in Claude Code?

Local configuration is limited to a specific folder or project, while global configuration applies to all projects and folders. This allows users to use the same free Open Router model across multiple Claude Code sessions.

How does the use of Open Router affect the cost of using Claude Code?

By using Open Router with free models, users can avoid the costs associated with token usage, allowing them to run Claude Code without spending money on input or output tokens, which is especially beneficial for those with limited resources.

What kind of models can be accessed via Open Router for free?

Open Router provides access to a range of free AI models, including the 120 billion parameter GPT-OSS, the 480 billion parameter Quen 3 coder, and smaller models like the MiniAX 2.5, all with no charges for input or output tokens.

What is the benefit of using MiniAX 2.5 for AI coding tasks compared to other models like Opus 4.6?

MiniAX 2.5 is popular for AI coding tasks due to its high performance, being ranked among the top models for coding. It also offers a more cost-effective solution than models like Opus 4.6, with lower token costs while still delivering comparable results.

Why might the performance of free models not match paid models like Sonet 4.6 or Opus 4.6?

Free models, while functional, are generally not optimized for performance to the level of paid models like Sonet 4.6 or Opus 4.6. They are more demanding on local machines and may not keep up in terms of speed and efficiency.