How to Use Claude Code for Free Without a Subscription

If you have looked at Claude Code and stopped at the subscription requirement, there is a useful distinction to know: you do not necessarily need a paid Claude subscription to use the Claude Code interface.

What you cannot do is use the normal Claude Free plan to unlock paid Claude Code access. Anthropic currently includes Claude Code with its Pro and Max plans. But Claude Code can also be configured to work with other model providers, including free models through OpenRouter or local models through Ollama.

That gives you a way to experiment with an AI coding agent without paying for Claude. The trade-off is that these methods do not give you free access to Anthropic's Claude models.

For the official plan details, see Anthropic's Claude Code documentation.

Can You Use Claude Code For Free?

Yes, but not through the standard Claude Free plan.

There are several different things that often get mixed together when people search for "free Claude Code":

This distinction is important.

If you connect Claude Code to a free Qwen, DeepSeek, NVIDIA, or another open model, you are not getting Claude Opus or Claude Sonnet for free. You are using the Claude Code workflow with another model underneath it.

That can still be useful, especially if your main goal is having an AI agent that can read your project, modify files, run commands, and help with coding.

Method 1: Use Claude Code With Free OpenRouter Models

For most people who simply want to try Claude Code without paying, OpenRouter is the easiest place to start.

OpenRouter provides access to models from different providers through a single API. It also has free model options, although the available models and their limits can change.

That last part matters. I would not build an entire workflow around a specific model simply because it is free today. Free model availability can change, and a model that works well with an agent today may not be available tomorrow.

Step 1: Install Claude Code

Install Claude Code using the current installer.

On macOS, Linux, or WSL:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

On Windows PowerShell:

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

Once installed, open a terminal and check that Claude Code is available:

claude --version

You do not need a paid Claude plan just to install the software.

Step 2: Create an OpenRouter API Key

Create an OpenRouter account and generate an API key.

Treat this key like a password. Do not put it directly into your project files or commit it to GitHub.

The safer approach is to keep it in an environment variable.

Step 3: Connect Claude Code to OpenRouter

On macOS or Linux, open your shell configuration file.

For Zsh:

nano ~/.zshrc

For Bash:

nano ~/.bashrc

Add:

export OPENROUTER_API_KEY="your-openrouter-api-key"
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://openrouter.ai/api"
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="$OPENROUTER_API_KEY"
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=""

The empty ANTHROPIC_API_KEY is intentional. It prevents Claude Code from trying to use Anthropic authentication instead of the OpenRouter configuration.

Then reload your shell:

source ~/.zshrc

If you use Bash, reload the appropriate file instead.

Step 4: Log Out of an Existing Claude Account

If you previously connected Claude Code to an Anthropic account, it is worth clearing that login before testing OpenRouter.

Inside Claude Code, run:

/logout

Then restart Claude Code. This avoids confusion between an existing Anthropic login and your OpenRouter configuration.

Step 5: Start Claude Code

Move into the project you want to work on:

cd /path/to/your/project

Then start Claude Code:

claude

You can use:

/status

to check the current configuration.

If the setup is correct, your requests should be going through the OpenRouter endpoint rather than your Anthropic subscription.

Which Free OpenRouter Model Should You Use?

I would not give you a permanent "best free model" recommendation here because the free model list changes.

Instead, look for a model that is suitable for coding and supports the capabilities Claude Code needs, such as:

• Code generation
• Tool calling
• Long context
• Multi-step reasoning
• Agentic tasks

OpenRouter also provides an openrouter/free option that can select from available free models. For testing, this is convenient.

For an important project, I would eventually choose a specific model rather than relying on a router that can change the underlying model. If your code suddenly starts behaving differently, knowing which model handled the task makes troubleshooting much easier.

There is another limitation worth knowing: Claude Code was designed around Anthropic's own models. Using another provider can work, but it is not identical to using Claude Code with Anthropic's supported models.

So I would treat OpenRouter as a practical way to experiment, not as a perfect replacement for the paid Claude experience.

Method 2: Run Claude Code With Ollama

Ollama is a better option if you want the model to run locally on your own computer.

Instead of sending your code to a hosted model provider, Ollama can run compatible open models locally. That makes this approach particularly interesting for developers who care about keeping source code on their own machine.

The downside is hardware. Free software does not mean free computation. Your computer has to provide the memory and processing power needed by the model.

Step 1: Install Ollama

Install Ollama for your operating system and make sure it is running.

Step 2: Launch Claude Code Through Ollama

With a current version of Ollama, the simplest setup is:

ollama launch claude

Ollama can handle the configuration and guide you through selecting a compatible model.

This is considerably simpler than many older tutorials that require manually setting several environment variables.

Step 3: Use a Local Coding Model

For users who want more control, Ollama also supports manual configuration.

For example:

export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=ollama
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=http://localhost:11434

You can then launch Claude Code with a compatible local model.

For example:

claude --model gpt-oss:20b

The exact model you should use depends on your computer.

A larger model may produce better results, but it also needs more RAM and processing power. If your laptop struggles to run the model, the theoretical advantage is not very useful in practice.

OpenRouter vs. Ollama: Which Is Better?

My recommendation is straightforward.

Choose OpenRouter if you want to get started quickly and your computer is not powerful enough to run larger coding models. And choose Ollama if you have suitable hardware and want more control over where your code and prompts are processed.

If neither option gives you the quality you need, that is when paying for the official Claude Code experience starts making more sense.

Can You Use the Actual Claude Models for Free?

Not through the standard Claude Free plan.

This is where the wording around "free Claude Code" can get confusing. Claude Free gives you access to Claude's free chat experience, but Claude Code is a separate product with its own access requirements.

OpenRouter changes the model provider rather than removing the cost of Anthropic's models. A free Qwen or another available open model can power your Claude Code session, but you are not using Claude's own model.

Ollama works in a similar way. The model runs locally on your computer, so the coding work is handled by that local model rather than by Anthropic.

Neither setup gives you paid Claude models at no cost.

Anthropic also offers API access, but API usage is billed separately. This can be useful for people who only need Claude occasionally and prefer usage-based billing, but it is not a free way to access Claude Code.

Is Claude Code With OpenRouter Worth Using?

For experimentation, yes serious development, test the setup before depending on it.

There is a difference between asking an AI model to write a small function and asking an agent to work through an entire repository. Claude Code can inspect files, make changes, execute commands, run tests, and continue through multiple steps.

A model that looks impressive in a normal chat can behave very differently when it has to operate as a coding agent.

That is why I would start with a small project.

Give it a few realistic tasks:

1. Explain an existing file.
2. Fix a small bug.
3. Add a simple feature.
4. Run the tests.
5. Ask it to modify the project based on the test results.

If the model consistently handles those tasks, then you have a useful free coding setup.

If it struggles with basic repository navigation or repeatedly makes incorrect changes, switching to another free model may be more useful than trying to force the same setup to work.

What Is the Best Way to Use Claude Code for Free?

There is no single best option. The right choice comes down to how you plan to use Claude Code.

OpenRouter is the simplest place to start when you want to test Claude Code without paying for a subscription. You can connect it to an available free model and get a working setup without needing powerful hardware.

Ollama makes more sense for local development. Your computer runs the model itself, so you have more control over your code and data. The trade-off is that the experience depends heavily on your system's RAM and processing power.

Neither option gives you the same experience as using Claude Code with Anthropic's own models. Anyone specifically looking for Claude's models and the official Claude Code experience will have to consider a paid plan or Anthropic's separate API pricing.

For users who are mainly looking for a capable AI coding assistant rather than Claude Code itself, there are several other options worth considering. See ToolJunction's guide to the best AI coding tools

Claude Code Free FAQs

Is Claude Code free?

Claude Code can be installed, but Anthropic's standard Free Claude plan does not include Claude Code. Official Claude Code access for individual users is currently available through paid Pro and Max plans.

Can I use Claude Code without a subscription?

Yes. You can configure Claude Code to work with another provider such as OpenRouter or with compatible local models through Ollama.

Can I use Claude Code with OpenRouter for free?

Yes. OpenRouter has free model options that can be used with compatible configurations. However, free model availability and limits can change.

Can I use Claude Code with Ollama for free?

Yes. Ollama can run compatible local models with Claude Code without requiring a Claude subscription. Your main cost is the hardware required to run the model.

Does OpenRouter give me free Claude?

No. OpenRouter's free models are not automatically Anthropic's Claude models. If you use a free Qwen, NVIDIA, DeepSeek, or another model, that model is doing the coding work.

Is Claude Free the same as Claude Code?

No. Claude Free is Anthropic's free chat plan. Claude Code is its coding agent and has separate access requirements.

Can I use Claude Opus for free through Claude Code?

There is no general free Claude Code plan that provides unlimited access to Anthropic's paid Claude models. Free third-party models connected through OpenRouter or Ollama should not be described as free Claude models.

Final Verdict

You can use Claude Code without paying for a Claude subscription, but there is a difference between using Claude Code for free and using Claude's models for free.

For most people, OpenRouter is the easiest way to experiment because you do not need a powerful computer. Ollama is more attractive if you want local processing and have the hardware to run a capable coding model.

I would start with OpenRouter, test a free coding model on a small project, and see whether the results are good enough for your actual work. If the model struggles with larger tasks or the free availability becomes inconvenient, then consider whether paying for Claude Pro is worthwhile.

The important thing is not to confuse the interface with the model behind it. You can get the Claude Code workflow without paying for Claude, but that does not mean you are getting Anthropic's paid Claude models for free.