{"slug": "run-claude-code-for-free-on-your-machine-using-openrouter", "title": "Run Claude Code for FREE on Your Machine Using OpenRouter", "summary": "A developer has shared a method to run Anthropic's Claude Code for free using OpenRouter's free tier, which allows access to top-tier AI models in the terminal without a Claude Pro subscription. The setup involves installing Claude Code, obtaining a free OpenRouter API key, and configuring environment variables to route requests through OpenRouter. This approach is particularly useful for freelance web developers seeking Claude-level intelligence for building projects and debugging without extra costs.", "body_md": "[Tired of paying for Claude Pro just to get powerful AI coding help?](https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2F5msvv3n6tli2zz574ukn.jpeg)\n\nI recently set this up and now run top-tier models right in my terminal — completely free on the free tier. Perfect for freelance web developers who want Claude-level intelligence for building projects, debugging, and client work without extra expenses.\n\n**1. Install Claude Code**\n\n```\nbash\nnpm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code\n\n2. Get your free OpenRouter API key\n→ openrouter.ai\n3. Add these lines to your ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc:\n\nexport OPENROUTER_API_KEY=\"your_key_here\"\nexport ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=\"https://openrouter.ai/api\"\nexport ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=\"$OPENROUTER_API_KEY\"\nexport ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=\"\"  # Important: keep this blank\n\n4. Restart your terminal and run:\nclaude --model openrouter/free\n\nThat’s it. You now have a powerful coding assistant running in your terminal.\nPro tip for freelancers\nUse this while building client projects. It speeds up Next.js/React work, Tailwind styling, API integrations, and debugging dramatically.\n![ ](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/2arf96xmhu2l543s1jsn.jpeg)\n```\n\n", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/run-claude-code-for-free-on-your-machine-using-openrouter", "canonical_source": "https://dev.to/soham_chavan07/run-claude-code-for-free-on-your-machine-using-openrouter-5d1o", "published_at": "2026-08-15 15:16:26+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-08-15 15:42:10.529575+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["developer-tools", "ai-tools", "large-language-models"], "entities": ["Claude Code", "OpenRouter", "Anthropic"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/run-claude-code-for-free-on-your-machine-using-openrouter", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/run-claude-code-for-free-on-your-machine-using-openrouter.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/run-claude-code-for-free-on-your-machine-using-openrouter.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/run-claude-code-for-free-on-your-machine-using-openrouter.jsonld"}}