Why Order Matters

Many developers sign up and immediately run code, only to find the quota hasn't arrived or has been blocked by risk control. Official free tiers often require a series of verification steps before activation, and the wrong order can waste time. Below is the practical activation order for five major platforms, following the logic of "verify identity first, then activate quota, finally run calls."

Steps

1. OpenAI Free Tier

  • After signing up, complete phone verification (available in some regions).
  • Go to the Billing page and add a payment method (some free credits require card verification but won't charge).
  • Check the Usage page to see if free credits are displayed. Note: OpenAI's free credit policy for new accounts changes from time to time; refer to the console's actual display.
  • Eligibility: New accounts that haven't used paid services.

2. Anthropic Claude Free Tier

  • Sign up for a Claude account and verify your email.
  • Go to the Console and create an API Key.
  • Some models offer limited free calls, and full quota often requires binding a credit card.
  • Note: Free quota may be limited to specific models (e.g., Haiku series) with strict rate limits.

3. Google AI Studio / Gemini API Free Tier

  • Log in to AI Studio with a Google account.
  • Enable the Gemini API in the API console and generate an API Key.
  • Free quota usually activates automatically without a card, but rate limits are low.
  • Eligibility: Personal Google account; some regions may be restricted.

4. Mistral AI Free Tier

  • Sign up for a Mistral account and verify your email.
  • Create an API Key on La Plateforme.
  • Free quota often requires phone or credit card verification; check the console for details.
  • Note: Free quota has a monthly reset mechanism and noticeable rate limits.

5. Cohere Free Tier

  • Sign up for a Cohere account and verify your email.
  • Create an API Key in the Dashboard.
  • Free quota is usually granted automatically but is trial-only; some models require application.
  • Eligibility: New accounts that haven't upgraded to a paid plan.

Precautions

  • Free tier policies on all platforms can change at any time; refer to the console for real-time figures.
  • Some platforms require binding a payment method to activate free credits, but usually no automatic charges unless you upgrade.
  • Free quotas typically have rate limits (RPM/TPM) and monthly reset cycles—suitable for development and testing, not production.
  • Duplicate registrations with the same identity may trigger risk control; use real information.
  • If credits don't arrive, first check email/phone verification, payment method binding, and regional support.

Use Cases

  • Individual developers quickly validating ideas without immediate payment.
  • Students or beginners learning LLM API calls.
  • Small-scale prototyping with daily usage within free limits.
  • Comparing model performance to choose the best paid plan.

FAQ

Q: Do free credits expire?

A: Most platforms have expiration or monthly reset mechanisms; check the console for details.

Q: Will I be charged automatically after binding a card?

A: Usually not, unless you upgrade to a paid plan or exceed the free quota. Set usage alerts.

Q: Why don't I have free credits after signing up?

A: Possible reasons: incomplete verification, unsupported region, duplicate account detection, or policy changes. Check official docs or contact support.

Q: Are free credits enough?

A: Usually enough for development and testing; upgrade to a paid plan for production.