Claude Code is now FREE: Here’s how…
The video outlines three free methods to run Claude Code without paying for Anthropic's API: using Ollama with the cloud-based GLM 5.1 model, using Ollama with Google's locally-run Gemma 4 model, and connecting to a free testing model called Elephant Alpha via OpenRouter. Each method is presented as taking under 5 minutes to set up and requires no coding experience.
Summary
The video opens by claiming that Claude Code — normally a paid AI coding tool tied to Anthropic's API — can be used entirely for free through three distinct methods. The host explains that Claude Code functions as an interface that can be decoupled from Anthropic's models and pointed at alternative AI models, including free or locally-run ones, without any loss of core functionality.
The first method involves using a tool called Ollama paired with GLM 5.1, a cloud-based model. The host walks through downloading Ollama, navigating to the model section of the Ollama website, copying the GLM 5.1 run command, and pasting it into the terminal. This approach is described as fast and capable but subject to token limits, making it best suited for smaller or medium-sized projects.
The second method, presented as the recommended option for most users, also uses Ollama but pairs it with Gemma 4, a model made by Google that runs entirely locally on the user's machine. Once downloaded via the command 'ollama run gemma4,' the model requires no internet connection, has no token limits, and incurs no ongoing costs. The host demonstrates this with a practical example: asking Claude Code to generate a full HTML landing page, which it completes without the user writing any code.
The third method uses a platform called OpenRouter, described as a marketplace for AI models. The host highlights a model called Elephant Alpha, which is currently free because it is in a public testing phase. Users create a free OpenRouter account, obtain an API key, and use a configuration tool called Spawn to connect the key to Claude Code. The host acknowledges that free testing models rotate on OpenRouter but notes that a free option has consistently been available every month for the past year.
The video also includes several practical use case examples — building email sequences, member dashboards, and onboarding guides — all generated via Claude Code with zero cost. The host concludes with a summary comparison of all three options and promotes two paid and free communities: the AI Profit Boardroom and the AI Success Lab.
Key Insights
- The host explains that Claude Code functions as an interface independent of Anthropic's models, meaning it can be redirected to any compatible model — including free or local ones — without losing its core functionality.
- The host argues that running Gemma 4 locally via Ollama is the best option for most users because it has no token limits, no cloud dependency, and zero ongoing cost once downloaded.
- The host claims that Elephant Alpha on OpenRouter is free specifically because it is in a real-world testing phase, where AI companies release models publicly to gather feedback before full deployment.
- The host states that free testing models on OpenRouter rotate regularly and that a free model option has been available every single month for the past year, suggesting this is a reliable ongoing strategy.
- The host demonstrates that Claude Code can generate a complete HTML landing page from a single plain-language prompt, arguing this eliminates the need for a developer and produces real results at zero cost when using a local model.
Topics
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