Which model tops the free LLM API list right now?
Gemma 4 31B (Google), as of 1 October 2026, with an Index score of 72.9 and ModelCap Index position #28.
Free-tier ranking
Free LLM APIs
Ranked language models that at least one API provider serves at no cost, ordered by ModelCap Index position. Free tiers are usually rate-limited; the paid price of the same model is shown for scale.
Snapshot as of 1 October 2026
Gemma 4 31B from Google leads the free LLM API list as of 1 October 2026 with an Index score of 72.9, holding ModelCap Index position #28; 11 models qualify.
Models on this list
11
With openly downloadable weights
6
With a listed API price
11
Free LLM APIs (11)
Every row is a current, canonical language model with a public position on the ModelCap Index; the list filters by a published fact and orders by a published figure.
Free LLM APIs: common questions
How is the free LLM API list built?
It contains current, canonical language models with a public ModelCap Index position that at least one listed provider serves at no cost, ordered by ModelCap Index rank. Nothing is estimated for the list itself: the filter is a published fact and the order is a published figure, and every row links to the model page that shows its evidence.
How many models qualify for the free LLM API list?
11 models qualify. The population is the live ModelCap Index, so a model appears here the moment it holds a public position and meets the filter.
What is the cheapest model on the free LLM API list?
Laguna XS 2.1 lists the lowest blended API price at $0.075 per 1M tokens ($0.06 input / $0.12 output).
Which is the best open-weight model on this list?
Gemma 4 31B from Google is the highest-placed model with openly downloadable weights (#1 here, ModelCap Index #28).
How current is the free LLM API list?
Positions, prices and context figures come from the same published snapshot dated 1 October 2026. Publication and page updates happen separately; use the snapshot date shown on the page.