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Free GitHub Models API Key, Base URL & Rate Limits

API Provider

GitHub Models provides free API access to 45+ models from OpenAI (GPT-4.

OpenAI CompatibleFree TierFunction CallingVision
Save API Key Test API Key Get API Key

How to get a free GitHub Models API key

  1. 1
    Sign in with GitHub account Every GitHub user gets free access.
  2. 2
    Go to github.com/marketplace/models
  3. 3
    Generate a personal access token with Models:read permission
  4. 4
    Pick a model GPT-4.1, o3, Llama 4, DeepSeek — 45+ models available.
  5. 5
    Configure OpenAI client Base URL: https://models.inference.ai.azure.com

Provider Snapshot

P Provider Type API Provider
O OpenAI Compatible Yes
U Base URL https://models.github.ai/inference
F Free Tier 3 free models online
P Phone Required Unknown
S Streaming Varies
T Function Calling Yes
V Vision Yes
L Last Updated 2026-07-05

Supported Models 3 models

View in directory →
Model ID Developer Context Availability Free Tier Use cases
AI21-Jamba-1.5-Large
AI21 Jamba 1.5 Large
 GitHub Models 256K Online Free tier chat
Phi-4
Phi-4
 Microsoft 131K Online Free tier reasoning
Mistral-large-2411
Mistral Large (24.11)
 Mistral 131K Online Free tier chatcoding

Developer Tools

K Save API Key Never lose your API keys — save keys from all providers in one place. T Test API Key Test your API key and check quota.

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GitHub Models FreeLLM Score free API access score

How we score →
58 /100
👍 Good Option — Notable for easy signup
Generosity Free limits and access terms
60
Access Signup and key availability
100
Model Breadth Free model coverage
45
Reliability Status and stability signals
20
Compatibility SDK and endpoint support
85
Quality Model capability signals
40

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

Credit Card Not required
Phone Verification Unknown
Free Tier 3 free models online
Context Range 131K – 256K
Total Models 3 listed
API Compatibility Live-tested OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions

GitHub Models API Setup Tutorials

Claude Code Environment variables and base URL setup Codex OpenAI-compatible config for local coding Gemini CLI Provider-specific API key routing notes

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:

Chat 2 models Reasoning 1 model Coding 1 model

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.