Configure Gemini CLI with a Free LLM API — No Credit Card
1. Pick your tool
2. Pick your free backend
Owl Alpha OpenRouter
# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
"model": "Owl Alpha"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai NVIDIA: Nemotron 3 Nano Omni (free) OpenRouter
# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
"model": "NVIDIA: Nemotron 3 Nano Omni (free)"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai Poolside: Laguna XS.2 (free) OpenRouter
# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
"model": "Poolside: Laguna XS.2 (free)"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai Poolside: Laguna M.1 (free) OpenRouter
# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
"model": "Poolside: Laguna M.1 (free)"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai inclusionAI: Ling-2.6-1T (free) OpenRouter
# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
"model": "inclusionAI: Ling-2.6-1T (free)"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai Tencent: Hy3 preview (free) OpenRouter
# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
"model": "Tencent: Hy3 preview (free)"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai Baidu: Qianfan-OCR-Fast (free) OpenRouter
# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
"model": "Baidu: Qianfan-OCR-Fast (free)"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai Google: Gemma 4 26B A4B (free) OpenRouter
# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
"model": "Google: Gemma 4 26B A4B (free)"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai Google: Gemma 4 31B (free) OpenRouter
# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
"model": "Google: Gemma 4 31B (free)"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai Google: Lyria 3 Pro Preview OpenRouter
# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
"model": "Google: Lyria 3 Pro Preview"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai Google: Lyria 3 Clip Preview OpenRouter
# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
"model": "Google: Lyria 3 Clip Preview"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai NVIDIA: Nemotron 3 Super (free) OpenRouter
# ~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"apiKey": "<your-api-key>",
"model": "NVIDIA: Nemotron 3 Super (free)"
}
# Get API key at https://openrouter.ai