Section 5: Free Cloud Models - Getting Started Without Paying
OpenClaw is the engine; the model is the brain. Free tiers from providers like OpenRouter, Groq, and NVIDIA NIM let you test and learn without immediate cost-but they do have limits.
Free-Tier Reality
Free plans are excellent for evaluation and light daily use. Just expect rate limits, usage quotas, and occasional slowdowns during busy periods.
Comparison Table
| Provider | Free Tier? | Speed | Best For | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenRouter | Yes (some models) | Medium | Variety and fallback | Per-model limits |
| Groq | Yes | Very fast | Fast chats and quick tasks | Rate-limited |
| NVIDIA NIM | Yes | Medium-fast | Heavier reasoning | Daily quota |
| Ollama Cloud | Yes (some models) | Medium | Simple hosted testing, Ollama ecosystem users | Availability and quota vary |
| Anthropic | No | Fast | High-quality responses | None (paid) |
| OpenAI | No | Fast | Coding and general tasks | None (paid) |
Provider Links
Fallback Concept
If your first-choice model is unavailable or rate-limited, OpenClaw can automatically try the next model in your list. Think of it as a backup generator: mostly invisible, very helpful when needed.
A practical starting point: use Groq or Ollama Cloud for fast free chat, then add OpenRouter as fallback coverage.