Free GitHub Models API Key, Base URL & Rate Limits
API ProviderGitHub Models provides free API access to 45+ models from OpenAI (GPT-4.
How to get a free GitHub Models API key
- 1
- 2 Go to github.com/marketplace/models
- 3 Generate a personal access token with Models:read permission
- 4 Pick a model GPT-4.1, o3, Llama 4, DeepSeek — 45+ models available.
- 5 Configure OpenAI client Base URL: https://models.inference.ai.azure.com
Provider Snapshot
Supported Models 16 models
View in directory →| Model ID | Developer | Context | Availability | Free Tier | Use cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| o4-mini o4-mini | OpenAI | 200K | Online | Yes | chat |
| gpt-4-1 gpt-4.1 | OpenAI | 1.0M | Online | Yes | chat |
| AI21-Jamba-1.5-Large AI21 Jamba 1.5 Large | GitHub Models | 256K | Online | Yes | chat |
| llama-4-maverick-17b-128e-instruct-fp8 Llama-4-Maverick-17B-128E-Instruct-FP8 | GitHub Models | 256K | Online | Yes | chat |
| gpt-5 gpt-5 | OpenAI | 200K | Online | Yes | chat |
| llama-4-scout-17b-16e-instruct Llama-4-Scout-17B-16E-Instruct | GitHub Models | 512K | Online | Yes | chat |
| gpt-4o gpt-4o | OpenAI | 128K | Online | Yes | chat |
| mistral-small-3-1 Mistral-Small-3.1 | Mistral | 128K | Online | Yes | chat |
| deepseek-r1 DeepSeek-R1 | DeepSeek | 64K | Online | Yes | chatreasoning |
| gpt-4-1-mini gpt-4.1-mini | OpenAI | 1.0M | Online | Yes | chat |
| llama-3-3-70b-instruct Llama-3.3-70B-Instruct | Meta | 131K | Online | Yes | chat |
| Phi-4 Phi-4 | Microsoft | 131K | Online | Yes | reasoning |
| Mistral-large-2411 Mistral Large (24.11) | Mistral | 131K | Online | Yes | chatcoding |
| llama-4-scout-17b-16e Llama-4-Scout-17B-16E | GitHub Models | 512K | Check provider | Yes | chat |
| llama-4-maverick-17b-128e Llama-4-Maverick-17B-128E | GitHub Models | 256K | Check provider | Yes | chat |
| meta-llama-3-3-70b Meta-Llama-3.3-70B | Meta | 131K | Check provider | Yes | chat |
Developer Tools
Related Providers
View all →GitHub Models FreeLLM Score free API access score
How we score →What is GitHub Models?
GPT-4o, o3, Llama 4, DeepSeek-R1 — free for all GitHub users.
GitHub Models provides free API access to 45+ models from OpenAI (GPT-4.1, o3, o4-mini), Meta (Llama 4), Mistral, DeepSeek, and Cohere for GitHub account holders. Rate limits depend on the GitHub Copilot subscription tier (Free/Pro/Pro+/Business). Tokens per request are limited (8K in/4K out), making it best suited for prototyping rather than production workloads.
- 45+ models including GPT-4.1 and o3
- Free for all GitHub accounts
- Includes Llama 4, DeepSeek-R1, Mistral
- Base URL: models.inference.ai.azure.com
API Compatibility: Live-tested OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions
GitHub Models Free Tier Limits & Pricing
GitHub Models API Setup Tutorials
GitHub Models is fully compatible with popular AI coding assistants like Cursor, Claude Code, and more. To see step-by-step API configuration instructions for your favorite tool, please visit our Global Configuration Guide →
GitHub Models Model Use Cases
What GitHub Models's free models are best for, based on aggregated model capabilities:
GitHub Models Limitations & Caveats
- Low per-request token limits (8K input / 4K output)
- Rate limits tied to GitHub Copilot subscription tier
- Not suitable for large-context or long-generation tasks
GitHub Models FAQ
How many requests can I make with GitHub Models free tier?
Rate limits depend on your GitHub Copilot subscription: Free tier gets ~10 requests/minute, Pro gets ~20 RPM, and Pro+/Business get higher limits. The 8K input / 4K output token limit applies to all tiers.
Can I use GPT-4.1 or o3 on GitHub Models for free?
Yes — GitHub Models is one of the few places offering free access to OpenAI's latest models including GPT-4.1, o3, and o4-mini. However, the low token limits (8K in/4K out) make it best for prototyping.
Why is my GitHub Models request getting rate limited?
Rate limits are tied to your Copilot subscription tier. If you're on the free tier, you get ~10 RPM. Upgrade to Copilot Pro for ~20 RPM, or switch to another provider for higher limits.