MiniMax: MiniMax M3 — AI Model

Verified
This model is no longer free (was free Jun 3, 2026 — Jun 4, 2026). See free alternatives.
openrouter/minimax-minimax-m3
chat
Context Window 1.0M
Max Output 512K
Released Invalid Date
Rate Limit See provider page
Cost Paid
Free Period Jun 3, 2026 — Jun 4, 2026
Credit Card Not required
Phone Verification Required
Status Online

Overview

MiniMax-M3 is a multimodal foundation model from MiniMax. It supports text, image, and video inputs with text output, a 1M-token context window, and is suited for long-horizon agentic work, coding, and tool use. It is built on MiniMax Sparse Attention (MSA), which replaces full attention with KV-block selection to cut per-token compute at long context — roughly 1/20 the cost of the previous generation at 1M tokens, with substantially faster prefill and decode while retaining quality across most tasks. Trained as a native multimodal model on interleaved data and tuned for multi-turn, production-like collaboration via an interactive user-simulator framework, the model is oriented toward sustained, multi-step tasks rather than single-turn execution.

Model ID
minimax/minimax-m3
Base URL
https://openrouter.ai/api/v1
Specifications
Context: 1.0M · Output: 512K · Modality: text, image · OpenAI Compat: Yes ·Released: May 31, 2026

Quick Start

Integrate MiniMax: MiniMax M3 with 3 lines of code. See the config generator for Claude Code, Cursor, and more.

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
    api_key="YOUR_API_KEY"
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="minimax/minimax-m3",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)
import OpenAI from "openai";

const openai = new OpenAI({
  baseURL: "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
  apiKey: "YOUR_API_KEY",
});

const completion = await openai.chat.completions.create({
  model: "minimax/minimax-m3",
  messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Hello!" }],
});

console.log(completion.choices[0].message.content);
curl https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "model": "minimax/minimax-m3",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
  }'

Other Free Models from OpenRouter

Rate Limits & Constraints

Rate Limit See provider page
Context Window 1.0M
Max Output Tokens 512K
Cost Paid (was free Jun 3, 2026 — Jun 4, 2026)
Credit Card Not required
OpenAI Compatible Yes — drop-in replacement

OpenRouter Platform Limitations

  • 200 RPD on free tier (1,000 with $10 lifetime credit)
  • Free models may change without notice
  • Some free models have shorter context windows than paid variants

Features & Use Cases

Best For

Chat

Modality Support

textimage

OpenRouter Highlights

  • 35+ permanently free models
  • OpenAI-compatible endpoint
  • 200 RPD free, 1,000 RPD with $10 lifetime credit
  • One key for 300+ models

How to Get a Free OpenRouter API Key

Follow these steps to get your free API key for MiniMax: MiniMax M3. No credit card required — just sign up and start using the API.

  1. Sign up at openrouter.ai No credit card. $10 lifetime top-up for 5× more rate limits.
  2. Go to Keys page
  3. Create a new API key
  4. Find free models Look for :free suffix in model name, or browse our list below.
  5. Configure OpenAI client Base URL: https://openrouter.ai/api/v1

Playground — Test MiniMax: MiniMax M3

Test MiniMax: MiniMax M3 directly in your browser. Your API key is sent directly to OpenRouter — never stored.

Model: MiniMax: MiniMax M3 Get Key

🔒 Your key is never stored — sent directly to the model provider via our server proxy.

Ready to chat with MiniMax: MiniMax M3.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get an API key for MiniMax: MiniMax M3?

Sign up at OpenRouter to get your API key. No credit card is required — just an email sign-up. Once you have the key, use the code snippets in the Quick Start section above.

Is MiniMax: MiniMax M3 really free?

MiniMax: MiniMax M3 is no longer free (was free until Jun 4, 2026). Browse our free models list for alternatives.

What are MiniMax: MiniMax M3's rate limits?

See provider page Context window: 1.0M. Max output: 512K. No credit card required.

What are the best free alternatives to MiniMax: MiniMax M3?

Popular free alternatives include inclusionAI: Ring-2.6-1T, Owl Alpha, NVIDIA: Nemotron 3 Nano Omni (free). You can also browse all 163+ free models on our site.

More questions? See our full FAQ →

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