Summary of "Claude Code + OpenRouter = Free UNLIMITED Coding (No RAM Needed)"

Overview

This guide explains how to run Claude Code via OpenRouter so you can use cloud-hosted models without downloading large local models or needing lots of RAM/VRAM. You authenticate Claude Code with a single OpenRouter API key and point the Anthropic/Claude endpoints to OpenRouter, which routes requests to free (or paid) cloud-hosted models.

What the video shows (high level)

Use OpenRouter as a cloud backend for Claude Code so you can run Claude Code locally without heavy local models or high RAM/VRAM requirements.
Authenticate Claude Code with a single OpenRouter API key and configure Anthropic endpoints to point to OpenRouter; OpenRouter will then route requests to available cloud models.

Step-by-step guide (core actions)

Install Claude Code (this guide assumes it is already installed).
Create a settings.json in a local .claude folder (or edit the global Claude config) and add the required variables:
- OpenRouter API key
- Anthropic base URL → set to the OpenRouter endpoint
- Anthropic auth token → set to the OpenRouter key
- Anthropic API key → set explicitly to blank
Create an OpenRouter account and generate an API key, then copy/paste it into settings.json.

Note: the presenter mentioned that $10 credit might be required in some cases, but they got it working without credit. If you encounter issues, try adding credit.

On OpenRouter’s models page, select a model and copy its model name into settings.json.
- If a specific model is rate-limited or unavailable, use the general free models router OpenRouter/free, which routes requests among available free models and is more reliable.
Restart Claude Code or reload the session and confirm the model shows as OpenRouter/free (or your chosen model). Test prompts.

Example mapping (do not include real keys here):

anthropic:
  base_url: "https://api.openrouter.ai"        # OpenRouter endpoint
  auth_token: "openrouter_api_key_here"        # your OpenRouter key
  api_key: ""                                  # must be blank
model: "OpenRouter/free"                       # or a specific model name from OpenRouter

Practical notes, limitations, and tips

This method avoids downloading heavy models — useful for Raspberry Pi, low-RAM laptops, or small VPSes.
Free cloud models vary in capability and availability; many are rate-limited and performance is hit-or-miss.
Local models (even large 20B–120B ones) still require significant VRAM and typically won’t match proprietary Sonnet/Opus 4.6 performance.
You can switch models on the fly by replacing the model name in settings.json.
OpenRouter also supports paid models (e.g., GPT 5.4 Pro) using the same configuration.

Models, performance, and cost analysis (mentioned)

GPT-OSS — smallest OSS variant still needs roughly ~14 GB VRAM for local use.
Qwen 3 Coder (480B) — extremely large; presenter quoted ~290 GB VRAM requirement, making it impractical locally.
Step 3.5 Flash — highlighted as a good free/router model (in the top ~20% for coding/analysis; popular with Claude Code).
MiniMax M2.5 — strongly recommended for coding by the presenter:
- Ranked #1 for programming in their benchmarks.
- Much cheaper than Opus for token costs:
  - MiniMax: cited at $0.30 per 1M input tokens, $1.20 per 1M output tokens.
  - Opus 4.6: cited at $5 per 1M input, $25 per 1M output.
Sonnet 4.6 / Opus 4.6 — higher-performing commercial models; best-in-class quality but more expensive.

Troubleshooting tips

If you hit rate limits, try a different free model or use the general router (OpenRouter/free).
If you encounter authentication/errors:
- Double-check the Anthropic fields in settings.json.
- Ensure the Anthropic API key is blank and the auth token is set to your OpenRouter key.
To apply the configuration globally, edit the global Claude settings.json (copy local block into the environment variables section).

Tools and platforms referenced

Claude Code (Anthropic client/extension)
OpenRouter (API/model router aggregator)
Editor/terminal tools shown in the video: Cursor, terminal
Alternatives mentioned: Ollama, self-hosted LLMs, running models on Raspberry Pi / VPS

Key takeaways

You can run Claude Code “for free” by routing requests through OpenRouter without installing heavy local models.
Expect variability in latency and availability; the free router endpoint is the most reliable option.
MiniMax M2.5 is a good cost-performance choice for coding tasks if you want better-than-free-model results without Opus/Sonnet-level costs.

Main speaker / sources

Video presenter / narrator (unnamed)
Services/products referenced: Claude Code (Anthropic), OpenRouter
Models mentioned: Qwen 3 Coder, GPT-OSS, Step 3.5 Flash, MiniMax M2.5, Sonnet 4.6, Opus 4.6, GPT 5.4 Pro