Last updated: June 2026
OpenAI does not offer a permanent free tier. There is no permanent free tier for the GPT-5 family - every API call to OpenAI is paid, except for credits you earn through specific programs and the free tokens OpenAI grants for sharing your API traffic. This is the complete map of every legitimate way to get free OpenAI API access in 2026: data-sharing tokens, OpenAI for Startups via VC, OpenAI Grove, the Codex Open Source Fund, and the Ramp partnership. Plus what to do when you need free LLM access and OpenAI is not the right answer.
For free LLM API access in general (Gemini, Groq, Cerebras, OpenRouter - none of which require credits), see Free LLM APIs in 2026. For broader AI startup credits (Anthropic, Mistral, Together, etc.), see Free AI API Credits.
OpenAI free-credit routes at a glance
| Route | Credits | Eligibility | Application path |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tokens (data sharing) | up to ~1M tokens/day | Opt in to share API traffic | Toggle in org settings |
| New-account trial | up to ~$5, if offered | New OpenAI API account | Automatic (now inconsistent) |
| OpenAI for Startups (VC) | $2,500 | VC-portfolio company with partner referral | VC sends you the code |
| OpenAI Grove | up to $50,000 | Selected cohort, in-person SF | Cohort application at OpenAI |
| Codex Open Source Fund | up to $25,000 | Qualifying OSS maintainer | Direct application |
| Founder Stack via Ramp | up to $2,500 | Ramp corporate card customer | Auto-applied with Ramp |
There is no permanent free tier. Every paid API call after these credits depletes is real money.
Free usage: data sharing (and the shrinking trial credit)
The automatic $5 new-account credit has become unreliable, many new accounts no longer receive it. The route that actually works in 2026 is OpenAI's complimentary tokens for data sharing.
- Amount: If you opt in to share your API traffic with OpenAI (a toggle in org settings), you get a daily free-token allowance, up to roughly 1M tokens/day on GPT-5-family models and up to ~10M tokens/day on mini models, applied only to projects with sharing enabled (OpenAI data-sharing docs). The old automatic ~$5 credit may or may not appear on a new account.
- Validity: Expires 3 months after account creation
- Card required: Yes, eventually - you cannot use API beyond trial without a billing method
- How to start: platform.openai.com → create account → API key → start sending requests
- Trade-off: On shared projects your prompts and outputs are used by OpenAI, do not enable it on sensitive workloads. Verify current caps in your dashboard.
If you have not created an OpenAI account yet, this is your starting point: enable data sharing for the free token allowance, then switch to paid usage or other providers for sensitive or higher-volume work.
OpenAI for Startups (VC partner route)
The standard "startup credits" track, but gated to VC-portfolio companies.
- Credits: $2,500 in OpenAI API credits
- Eligibility: Must be a portfolio company of an OpenAI-partnered VC fund
- How to access: Your VC sends you a unique referral code. There is no public application form
- Validity: Typically 12 months
- Includes: Credits + priority rate limits + occasional preview access to new models
- Caveat: Not stackable with the $5 trial - you pick one or the other on a given account
If you have raised a seed or Series A from a VC, ask explicitly: "Are you an OpenAI Startups partner? Can I get a referral code?" Most VCs are partners and will send the code if you ask.
OpenAI Grove ($50K cohort)
OpenAI's selective in-person 5-week program for pre-idea to early-stage founders.
- Credits: Up to $50,000 in OpenAI API credits
- Eligibility: Pre-idea to early-stage founders willing to relocate to San Francisco for 5 weeks
- How to apply: openai.com/index/openai-grove → application opens periodically, watch the page
- Selection: Highly competitive, roughly 15 participants per cohort
- Plus: Mentorship from OpenAI staff, access to internal model previews, peer cohort
- Caveat: In-person SF only - remote-only applicants are not accepted
For technical founders with strong AI portfolios and SF flexibility, Grove is one of the highest-leverage programs to apply to in the entire startup-credits universe.
Codex Open Source Fund ($25K)
The OSS maintainer track. Specifically for code-generation work.
- Credits: Up to $25,000 in OpenAI API credits, intended for Codex (code-gen model lineage)
- Eligibility: Active maintainer of an open source project, particularly developer tools / language ecosystems / framework infrastructure
- How to apply: Direct application via OpenAI's OSS Fund page
- Plus: A separate "Codex for Open Source" track gives qualifying maintainers about six months of ChatGPT Pro with Codex (around $1,200), plus recognition in OpenAI's OSS supporter list
- Caveat: Reviewed for maintainer authenticity - drive-by contributors typically do not qualify
If you maintain a meaningful OSS project (think framework / library / dev tool), this is a real route to substantial free OpenAI access.
Founder Stack via Ramp
The corporate-card partnership credit. Automatic if you bank with Ramp.
- Credits: Up to $2,500 in OpenAI API credits (the same Ramp-delivered credit behind OpenAI for Startups)
- Eligibility: Active Ramp corporate card customer
- How to access: Available in Ramp's deal book / startup perks page after sign-up
- Validity: Typically 12 months from claim
- Caveat: Ramp itself is free, so this is a real free credit if you want a corporate card anyway
A similar offer exists periodically through Brex; check both deal books.
What is no longer a route
- Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub previously included direct OpenAI credits as part of the bundle. This was discontinued in mid-2025. Microsoft for Startups still includes Azure OpenAI Service credits - same models, but you call them through Azure's API endpoint, not OpenAI's. The pricing and rate limits are slightly different. See Microsoft for Startups for what is currently included.
What to use when OpenAI is not the right answer
If you want to keep paying $0/month and OpenAI's $5 trial has expired, switch to free-tier providers:
- Google Gemini API: 1,500 req/day on Flash, no credit card required
- Cerebras: 1M tokens/day free, no credit card required
- Groq: 30 RPM, 6K TPM, 1,000 req/day, ~315 tokens/sec on Llama 70B
- OpenRouter free models: several free routes (Mistral, Gemma, Llama)
- HuggingFace Inference API: free tier with rate limits, good for prototyping with open-source models
For most non-mission-critical agent and chatbot work, you can run production on free tiers from these providers. See Free LLM APIs in 2026 for the full breakdown, or Best Free LLM 2026 for a ranked comparison of chat-only and API-accessible options.
For mission-critical reasoning where you specifically need the latest GPT-5 models, save your paid budget for those queries; route everything else through Gemini Flash or Groq.
OpenAI vs Anthropic free credits
| Aspect | OpenAI | Anthropic Claude |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent free tier | No | No |
| Trial credit | Minimal; data-sharing free tokens | ~$5 (similar terms) |
| Direct startup program | $2.5K via VC | Up to $25K direct + Anthology |
| OSS program | Codex Open Source Fund ($25K) | Claude for Open Source ($1.2K via Max 20x for 6 months, 10K spots) |
| Cohort program | OpenAI Grove ($50K, SF) | None comparable |
| Bootstrap-friendly | Limited (Ramp $2.5K + data-sharing tokens) | More accessible (direct application) |
For bootstrapped founders without VC backing, the Anthropic Startup Program (direct, rolling) is generally easier to get into than OpenAI's gated routes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get free OpenAI API credits? Routes in 2026: (1) Data-sharing free tokens - up to ~1M tokens/day on GPT-5-family models if you opt in to share API traffic. (2) OpenAI for Startups via VC partner referral - $2,500. (3) OpenAI Grove - $50,000 for an accepted 5-week SF cohort. (4) Codex Open Source Fund - $25,000 for qualifying OSS maintainers. (5) Founder Stack via Ramp - up to $2,500. The old automatic $5 trial is now inconsistent.
Does OpenAI have a permanent free tier like Gemini or Groq? No. OpenAI does not offer a permanent rate-limited free tier. The automatic $5 starter credit is now inconsistent. The closest thing to ongoing free usage is OpenAI's complimentary tokens for data sharing. For genuinely permanent free LLM API access, see free-tier providers like Google Gemini API (~1,500 req/day Flash), Groq (30 RPM), Cerebras (1M tokens/day), and OpenRouter free models.
What is OpenAI Grove? OpenAI Grove is OpenAI's selective 5-week in-person program at OpenAI's San Francisco HQ for pre-idea to early-stage founders. Accepted founders receive up to $50,000 in OpenAI API credits, mentorship from OpenAI staff, and access to internal model previews. Selection is highly competitive - OpenAI looks for technical depth, novel use of AI, and willingness to relocate to SF for the program duration.
Who qualifies for the OpenAI Codex Open Source Fund? The Codex Open Source Fund supports active open source maintainers building developer tools or improving OSS that benefits the broader ecosystem. Qualifying maintainers receive up to $25,000 in OpenAI API credits to use Codex (the code-generation model lineage) for OSS development. Application requires demonstrated maintainer status on a meaningful project.
Can I get OpenAI credits through Microsoft for Startups? Not anymore as of mid-2025. The OpenAI credits previously bundled with Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub were discontinued. Microsoft for Startups still gives Azure OpenAI Service credits (using OpenAI models hosted on Azure with the same APIs but Azure billing). For direct OpenAI credits, use the OpenAI for Startups VC route, Grove, Codex Open Source Fund, or Ramp.
Related guides
- Free LLM APIs - including no-credit-required free tiers from Gemini, Groq, Cerebras
- Free AI API Credits - broader AI startup programs (Anthropic, Mistral, etc.)
- Claude Free Credits - Anthropic Startup Program + Claude for Open Source
- Microsoft for Startups - for Azure OpenAI Service credits
- Free Startup Credits 2026: Complete Guide
Got OpenAI credits via one of these routes? Tell me which and what worked - I update this guide with friction signals and program changes.
