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CLAUDE

How to run Claude Code for free with OmniRoute

Free AI providers inside Claude Code, so you never hit your limit mid-project. The setup on Mac and Windows, and the honest part nobody tells you.

Updated November 7, 2026

Time
20 minutes
Difficulty
medium
Cost
Free

You need

  • A Mac or a Windows PC
  • A Google account, for your first free key
  • The terminal, just for a few lines to copy and paste
Your computer

I got you. OmniRoute is a free, open source app on GitHub that sits between Claude Code and dozens of AI providers with free plans. You connect the ones you want, and when one runs out it switches to the next one by itself, so your session keeps going. It also compresses what you send, so you burn way fewer tokens.

How it works
  1. 1 Install Node
  2. 2 Install OmniRoute
  3. 3 Connect free providers
  4. 4 Start Claude Code

Step 1: Install Node.js

3 minutes

OmniRoute runs on Node.js. Go to nodejs.org, download the LTS version and open the file like any other app. Click Next until it’s done.

Step 2: Install and start OmniRoute

5 minutes

This is the only part with the terminal: copy each line, paste it and press Enter.

Press ⌘ Space, type Terminal and press Enter. Then paste:

Terminal
npm install -g omniroute

Open the Start menu, type PowerShell and press Enter. Then paste:

PowerShell
npm install -g omniroute

It takes a minute and shows a few warnings: they’re harmless. When it’s done, start it:

Terminal
omniroute

Now open localhost:20128 in your browser: that’s your OmniRoute dashboard. Leave this terminal window open, OmniRoute runs inside it.

Step 3: Connect the free providers

10 minutes

Each provider gives you a free key. You don’t need all of them, three are plenty to start:

For each one: create the account, generate the key, copy it, then in the dashboard go to Providers, pick the provider and paste the key.

Step 4: Start Claude Code through OmniRoute

Don’t have Claude Code yet? Install it first, in a new terminal window:

Terminal
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
PowerShell
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

Then open the terminal inside your project folder and start Claude Code through OmniRoute:

Type cd and a space, drag your folder into the window and press Enter. Then paste:

Terminal
omniroute run claude

Open your folder, click the address bar at the top, type powershell and press Enter. Then paste:

PowerShell
omniroute run claude

That’s it. Claude Code opens like always, but every request goes through OmniRoute: when one provider hits its limit, the next one picks up and your session keeps going.

Great for

  • Learning to code with AI
  • Side projects and experiments
  • Keeping going when your Claude plan runs out

Skip it for

  • Client work or anything private: free plans can log what you send
  • The hardest tasks, where the real Claude is still way better