How to Get Chatgpt API Key for Free?
There is no official way to get a ChatGPT API key for free permanently. However, OpenAI offers free trial credits for new users and there are some alternative AI APIs that you can use for free.
1. Get OpenAI Free API Credits (Limited Trial)
🔹 OpenAI gives $5 in free credits when you sign up for the first time at:
👉 https://platform.openai.com/signup
✅ How to Get a Free API Key:
1️⃣ Go to OpenAI API and create an account.
2️⃣ Verify your email & phone number (required).
3️⃣ Open API Keys and generate a new key.
🚫 Limitations:
- Free credits expire in 3 months.
- Once used up, you must pay for more API calls.
2. Use Microsoft Azure OpenAI API (Limited Free Tier)
🔹 Microsoft Azure offers GPT-4 and GPT-3.5 API access with free credits.
👉 https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/cognitive-services/openai-service/
✅ Steps to Get Free Access:
1️⃣ Sign up for Microsoft Azure.
2️⃣ Claim $200 free credits (valid for 30 days).
3️⃣ Use Azure OpenAI API for GPT-4.
3. Use Free AI API Alternatives
If you don’t want to pay, try these free AI API services:
| API | Model Used | Free Limit | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Gemini API | Google’s AI | Free basic access | Google AI |
| Perplexity API | GPT-4 & Web search | Free | Perplexity AI |
| Hugging Face API | Various AI models | Free usage | Hugging Face |
| OpenRouter API | GPT-4, Claude, Mistral | Free tier | OpenRouter |
Final Thoughts
✅ Best way to get a ChatGPT API key for free:
1️⃣ Sign up for OpenAI’s free credits ($5 for first-time users).
2️⃣ Use Microsoft Azure OpenAI API ($200 free credits).
3️⃣ Try free alternatives like Google Gemini, Hugging Face, or Perplexity AI.
Would you like help setting up an API key? 🚀