OpenRouter already maintains a free-model collection. The useful decision is which currently available entry can finish your task within its constraints. ChinaGenAI is an independent guide, not OpenRouter’s API service.
Start with an actual catalog entry
- Open the free-model collection and inspect the individual model page.
- Confirm input and output pricing, context, supported features and currently listed endpoints.
- Copy the exact ID, including a free suffix only when the catalog entry supports it.
- Read the rate limits for your account. Do not treat a zero token price as unlimited capacity.
OpenRouter free-variant documentation
Compare one task, not marketing adjectives
Use the quote-extraction instructions below with the same input for each chosen model. The example is fictional. This page provides a method; it does not contain live DeepSeek-versus-Qwen test results.
Extract the supplier quote into JSON with these fields: supplier, quantity, currency, unit_price, moq, incoterm, port, payment, lead_time_days. Use null for missing facts. Preserve currencies and units. Do not infer shipping costs or promise delivery. Return JSON only.
Example only: Cedar offers 250 units at USD 5.20 each, MOQ 200, EXW Ningbo. Payment: 30% deposit, 70% before dispatch. Lead time is not stated.| Record | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Exact ID, host and date | Models, endpoints and free availability change. |
| Complete input and output | Another person can inspect the extraction and missing facts. |
| Field correctness | Correct currency, units, MOQ and nulls are more useful than JSON syntax alone. |
| Elapsed time and token usage | Report the sample and conditions; one request is not a reliability benchmark. |
| Errors and truncation | A failed response belongs in the record. Do not score it as a successful zero-cost task. |
Build and check the request
Choose OpenRouter in the request builder, then enter a model ID from the current catalog. Use a short prompt and limited output. Copy the assistant’s JSON into the field checker and review every value against the quote.
Know when to use a paid route
If the task needs a guaranteed quota, a feature absent from the free endpoint, or predictable batch throughput, inspect paid terms and cost before proceeding. No automatic paid fallback is used by the ChinaGenAI free pool.
Where to go next
Read the Qwen free-access distinctions and the DeepSeek quote-to-JSON setup. For automating a verified task, n8n’s own documentation is a useful next step; a self-hosted setup and paid n8n Cloud are different products.
Visit n8nFree API access and limits
Check the site free API access and limits before trying to obtain a site key. The pool remains closed until availability and cost controls are verified. It is not a source of official provider keys.
ChinaGenAI is not affiliated with the providers named here. This release contains setup guidance and explicitly labeled fictional examples, not claimed live model benchmarks.