# Together AI alternatives: free credits, pricing and which one fits By SeedRouter · Published 2026-09-29 · Updated 2026-09-29 The best Together AI alternative depends on why you are leaving. For the same kind of per-token API on open models, look at Fireworks AI, DeepInfra, Groq, Baseten or Featherless. For one key that also reaches closed models such as GPT and Claude, look at OpenRouter, Hugging Face or SeedRouter. For raw GPUs to deploy or fine-tune your own models, look at RunPod or Modal. Every fact below comes from each company's own pricing page or docs, checked on September 29, 2026. ## Is Together AI free? No. Together AI's billing docs say: "Together AI does not currently offer free trials. Access to the Together platform requires a minimum $5 credit purchase." A few details that matter when you compare: * **It is fully prepaid.** "You need a positive credit balance to use the platform." * **Purchased credits do not expire** at the moment, according to the same page. * **"Free" models still need the top-up.** The model list marks some models as free, but platform access still requires the $5 purchase, and "calling image models requires a positive credit balance." So there is no free Together AI API key. If you want to test without paying first, choose an alternative from the next section. ## Which Together AI alternatives have free credits? | Platform | Free credit or free tier, in the platform's words | | --------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | OpenRouter | "All new users receive a small free allowance." Free models are limited to 50 requests per day. | | Fireworks AI | "Get started with $1 in free credits." | | Groq | A Free tier with its own rate limits. | | Baseten | "New workspaces receive credits", but "no separate free tier or perpetual free plan". | | Hugging Face | Free users of its inference router get "$0.10, subject to change" per month; PRO users $2.00. | | Modal | "$30 / month free compute" on the Starter plan. | | SeedRouter | Every new account starts with a small free balance; the [pricing page](https://seedrouter.ai/pricing) lists the amount. | | DeepInfra, Featherless AI, RunPod | No free credit found on their official pages. RunPod has a referral bonus, not a sign-up credit. | ## How do the alternatives compare? | Platform | What it is | How you pay | Closed models (GPT, Claude) | Image or video | Fine-tuning | | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------- | | Together AI | Per-token API on open models, plus dedicated GPUs | Prepaid, $5 minimum | Among image and video models only | Yes | Yes | | OpenRouter | One API routed to many model hosts | Prepaid credits, 5.5% fee on purchases | Yes | Yes | Not found | | Fireworks AI | Per-token API plus on-demand GPUs | Usage-based | Only with your own Anthropic or OpenAI credential | Not found | Yes | | DeepInfra | Per-token API plus dedicated GPUs | Card or prepaid | Claude and Gemini listed | Yes | Deploys your LoRA, no hosted training | | Groq | Per-token API | Monthly invoice after a free tier | Not found | Not found | No | | Baseten | Per-token Model APIs plus dedicated deployments | Invoiced | Not found | Deploy your own | Yes | | Hugging Face | Inference router to third-party hosts | Same rates as the host, no Hugging Face fee | Mostly open models | Yes | Not in these docs | | Featherless AI | Open-model API | Monthly plans from $25 | No | LLMs first | Through Hugging Face | | RunPod | GPU cloud, plus Public Endpoints | Prepaid, per second | Deploy your own | Yes, on Public Endpoints | Do it yourself | | Modal | Serverless GPU compute | Monthly, card on file | Deploy your own | Deploy your own | Do it yourself | | SeedRouter | One API for language, image and video models | Prepaid, credits never expire | Yes | Yes | No | "Not found" means the platform's own pages did not say, not that the feature is missing. ## Which alternative should you choose? **You want the same thing, somewhere else.** Fireworks AI, DeepInfra, Groq and Baseten all sell per-token access to open models, and Fireworks and Baseten also offer fine-tuning. Groq's docs say it does not provide fine-tuning. **You want open models at a flat monthly price.** Featherless AI sells "all 40,000+ open models on every plan", with a $25 per month chat plan that has unlimited tokens. **You want one key for many model hosts.** OpenRouter passes through the prices of the hosts it routes to and charges 5.5% when you buy credits; its terms reserve the right to expire unused credits a year after purchase. Hugging Face's inference router charges the same rates as the host, with no extra fee. **You want GPUs.** RunPod bills per second from prepaid credits, which its docs call non-refundable. Modal bills per second, invoices monthly and includes $30 of free compute each month on the Starter plan. Both suit teams that deploy or fine-tune their own models. ## When is SeedRouter the better fit? SeedRouter is a fit if you want frontier closed models and media models behind one key, and you do not need fine-tuning or a large open-model catalog. With one SeedRouter key you can call: * **Language models:** [GPT-6](https://seedrouter.ai/models/gpt-6-astra), [Claude Opus 5.5 and Fable 5.1](https://seedrouter.ai/models/claude-opus-5-5), [DeepSeek V4.1 Flash](https://seedrouter.ai/models/deepseek-v4-1-flash) and [Kimi K3](https://seedrouter.ai/models/kimi-k3), through the OpenAI or Anthropic SDK. * **Image models:** [GPT Image 2.5](https://seedrouter.ai/models/gpt-image-2-5) and [Nano Banana 2](https://seedrouter.ai/models/nano-banana-2). * **Video models:** [Seedance 2.5 and Seedance 2.0](https://seedrouter.ai/models/seedance-2-5). How billing works: * You top up once. There is no subscription, and credits never expire. * Each request is charged at the rate on the model page. A request that fails costs nothing. * Every new account starts with a small free balance, so you can make a first call before paying. What SeedRouter does not do: host fine-tuning, rent GPUs, or serve the long tail of open models that Together AI, DeepInfra or Featherless carry. If that is what you need, pick one of them. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Together AI have a free API key? No. Together AI requires a minimum $5 credit purchase before you can use the platform, and it does not offer free trials. ### Do Together AI credits expire? Not at the moment. Together AI's docs say prepaid credits "do not currently have an expiration date." ### Which Together AI alternative is free to start? OpenRouter, Fireworks AI, Groq, Hugging Face, Modal and SeedRouter all offer a free allowance, free tier or free credit. The amounts differ; see the table above. ### Which alternative gives access to GPT and Claude? OpenRouter and SeedRouter both serve GPT and Claude models directly. DeepInfra lists Claude models on its pricing page. Fireworks AI can route to Claude and GPT only with your own Anthropic or OpenAI credential. ### Which alternative lets me fine-tune open models? Together AI, Fireworks AI and Baseten offer hosted fine-tuning. On RunPod and Modal you run the training yourself on their GPUs.