OpenRouter Free Models: The Best Ones and How to Use Them on Your Phone

ChatPing runs AI models on your iPhone, and OpenRouter cloud models are an optional extra when you add your own key. This guide covers that optional side.

OpenRouter free models are models whose ID ends in :free, and OpenRouter charges $0 per message for them (that is OpenRouter's own free tier, not a ChatPing price). On 27 October 2026 OpenRouter listed 17 of them. To use one on your phone, create an OpenRouter API key, paste it into an app that takes your own key, and pick a :free model.

Want to chat with them on your iPhone? ChatPing runs AI models on your phone, and also lets you add your own OpenRouter key for optional cloud models. Get it on the App Store. Not affiliated with OpenRouter or any model provider.

The biggest OpenRouter free models right now

This is a snapshot from OpenRouter's public model list on 27 October 2026, sorted by context window (how much text a model can read at once). Free models come and go, so check the live list before you rely on one.

Pick a model that takes images if you want to attach photos. Pick one with a big context window for long PDFs.

How to get an OpenRouter API key

1. Go to openrouter.ai and sign in. OpenRouter needs an account, even though ChatPing does not.
2. Open the Keys page and create a new key.
3. Copy it and keep it secret. Anyone with the key can use your OpenRouter account.

How to use OpenRouter free models on your phone

OpenRouter does not have its own phone app. You use an app that takes your own key. In ChatPing on iPhone:

1. Install ChatPing. It chats with its on-device models without a key; the key is only for cloud models. Add your OpenRouter API key in Chat > top-left menu > AI Assistance > OpenRouter (cloud) > API key: paste it and tap Save. The key is stored in the iOS Keychain, and you can delete it from the same row.
2. In the model picker, choose Other, enter the model ID, for example google/gemma-4-31b-it:free. Cloud model rows stay disabled until a key is saved.
3. Start a chat. You can switch models from the Models screen, or just ask the assistant to switch.

You pay your AI provider directly. For a :free model OpenRouter charges $0 (OpenRouter's own free models, not a ChatPing price), and OpenRouter sets how much you can use it. ChatPing also lets you attach PDFs, text files and images, and a vision-capable model can read the images.

No sign-up in the app

ChatPing has no account and no sign-up. Your chats are stored on your device. The one sign-up in this setup is OpenRouter's, to get the key.

What to know

• Chats with cloud models go to the provider through your own OpenRouter key. Read OpenRouter's terms for the model you pick.
• Free models have usage limits and can be removed. If one stops working, pick another from the list.
• The table above is a snapshot, not a ranking of quality.

FAQ

• What are OpenRouter free models? Models listed on OpenRouter with :free at the end of the ID. OpenRouter charges $0 per message for them; that is OpenRouter's own free tier, not a ChatPing price.
• Is there an OpenRouter app for iPhone? OpenRouter has no phone app of its own. ChatPing on iPhone runs on-device models and is also one way to use your OpenRouter key on your phone. Step by step: OpenRouter app for iPhone.
• How do I get an OpenRouter API key? Sign in at openrouter.ai, open Keys and create one.
• Do I need to pay? Not for a :free model. Other models are billed by OpenRouter to your account.

Related

• ChatPing
• AI chatbot with no sign up: chat on iPhone