OpenRouter: Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking

This model is no longer free. See free alternatives.
openrouter/qwen-qwen3-next-80b-a3b-thinking
Released Sep 11, 2025 · 131K context ·
chat reasoning

Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking is a reasoning-first chat model in the Qwen3-Next line that outputs structured “thinking” traces by default. It’s designed for hard multi-step problems; math proofs, code synthesis/debugging, logic, and agentic planning, and reports strong results across knowledge, reasoning, coding, alignment, and multilingual evaluations. Compared with prior Qwen3 variants, it emphasizes stability under long chains of thought and efficient scaling during inference, and it is tuned to follow complex instructions while reducing repetitive or off-task behavior. The model is suitable for agent frameworks and tool use (function calling), retrieval-heavy workflows, and standardized benchmarking where step-by-step solutions are required. It supports long, detailed completions and leverages throughput-oriented techniques (e.g., multi-token prediction) for faster generation. Note that it operates in thinking-only mode.

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One-Click Config

Optimized configs for your favorite AI tools.

Claude Code

# Claude Code works via OpenRouter's Anthropic-compatible API.
# Note: Only paid Anthropic Claude models are supported (e.g. claude-sonnet-4.6, claude-opus-4).
# Browse available Claude models at: https://openrouter.ai/models?q=anthropic

# Add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc
export OPENROUTER_API_KEY="<your-openrouter-api-key>"  # Get at https://openrouter.ai/settings/keys
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://openrouter.ai/api"
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="$OPENROUTER_API_KEY"
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=""  # Must be explicitly empty to avoid conflicts

# Optional: pin specific models for each role
# export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL="anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6"
# export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL="anthropic/claude-haiku-4.5"

# Then simply run: claude

Cursor

# Cursor → Settings (⚙️) → Models → Add Model
# Enter the model name exactly as shown, then fill in:
#   Override OpenAI Base URL: https://openrouter.ai/api/v1
#   OpenAI API Key: <your-api-key>   # Get at https://openrouter.ai/workspaces/default/keys
# Click "Verify" to confirm the connection, then enable the model.
#
# Model name to add: Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking

Codex

# Add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc
export OPENAI_BASE_URL="https://openrouter.ai/api/v1"
export OPENAI_API_KEY="<your-api-key>"  # Get at https://openrouter.ai/workspaces/default/keys

# Then run:
codex --model "Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking"

Gemini CLI

# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
  "apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
  "model": "Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai/workspaces/default/keys

OpenCode

// ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "provider": {
    "free-llm": {
      "npm": "@ai-sdk/openai-compatible",
      "name": "Free LLM",
      "options": {
        "baseURL": "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
        "apiKey": "<your-api-key>"
      },
      "models": {
        "Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking": { "name": "Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking" }
      }
    }
  }
}
// Get API key at https://openrouter.ai/workspaces/default/keys

Hermes

# Step 1 — Edit config.yaml
# Windows: C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Local\hermes\config.yaml
# macOS/Linux: ~/.config/hermes/config.yaml

model:
  default: Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking
  provider: custom
  base_url: ${CUSTOM_BASE_URL}
  api_key: ${CUSTOM_API_KEY}
  model_aliases:
    Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking:
      model: "Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking"
      provider: "custom"

# Step 2 — Edit .env (same directory as config.yaml)
# Windows: C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Local\hermes\.env
# macOS/Linux: ~/.config/hermes/.env

# ========================
# Custom API (OpenAI-compatible)
# ========================
CUSTOM_API_KEY=<your-api-key>        # Get at https://openrouter.ai/workspaces/default/keys
CUSTOM_BASE_URL=https://openrouter.ai/api/v1

OpenClaw

// ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json  (JSON5 format)
{
  "agents": {
    "defaults": {
      "model": {
        "primary": "Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking",
      },
    },
  },
  "models": {
    "providers": {
      // Option A — Built-in provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google…)
      // Just add apiKey; OpenClaw handles the baseUrl automatically
      // "openai": { "apiKey": "<your-api-key>" },

      // Option B — Custom OpenAI-compatible base URL (e.g. OpenRouter, NVIDIA)
      "free-llm": {
        "baseUrl": "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
        "apiKey": "<your-api-key>",  // Get at https://openrouter.ai/workspaces/default/keys
        "api": "openai-completions", // openai-completions | anthropic-messages | …
        "models": [
          { "id": "Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking", "name": "Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking" },
        ],
      },
    },
  },
}
// Apply: openclaw gateway restart
// Verify: openclaw doctor --fix

FAQ

Is it really free?

No, Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking was previously free but has since transitioned to a paid model. Browse our free model directory for alternatives.

How to use it with Cursor?

Go to Cursor Settings > Models, add a custom model named "Qwen: Qwen3 Next 80B A3B Thinking", and set the Base URL to "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1".