Free AI Provider Tiers
Which AI providers offer free quotas and how to use them at zero cost.
You don't need to pay anything to use AI processing in VivaDicta. Several providers offer generous free tiers that cover typical personal use. Here's a complete breakdown.
| Provider | Free Tier | Best For | Setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groq | Free forever, ~20 req/min | Fast, free AI processing | Setup guide |
| Google Gemini | Free tier with generous limits | High quality, multilingual | Get key |
| Mistral | Free Experiment plan | European languages, open-source models | Get key |
| Anthropic | Free credits for new accounts | Highest quality writing | Get key |
| OpenRouter | Some free models available | Trying different models | Get key |
| Ollama | Completely free (runs locally) | Privacy, no rate limits | Setup guide |
| GitHub Copilot | Free tier: 50 chat messages/mo | Claude, GPT via one account | Setup guide |
Groq — Best Free Option
Groq is free forever with no credit card required. It runs fast Llama models with around 20 requests per minute on the free plan — more than enough for typical dictation use. The same API key works for both transcription and AI processing.
Set up Groq in under a minute.
Google Gemini — High Quality, Free
Google offers a free tier for Gemini models via Google AI Studio. Gemini 3 Flash is fast and capable, while Gemini 3 Pro offers top-tier quality. Both work well for multilingual text processing.
Mistral — Great for European Languages
Mistral's free Experiment plan gives you access to open-source models that excel at European languages. Sign up at console.mistral.ai — no credit card required.
Anthropic — Best Writing Quality
New Anthropic accounts receive free credits. Claude models are widely regarded as producing the most natural, well-written text — ideal for professional and creative use cases.
OpenRouter — Try Many Models
OpenRouter aggregates models from many providers. Some models are available for free, making it a good way to experiment with different AI models without committing to a single provider.
Ollama — Free and Private
Ollama runs AI models on a Mac or PC on your local network. No rate limits, no costs, and complete privacy. The tradeoff is that you need a reasonably powerful computer to run the models, and quality depends on the model you choose.
Apple Foundation Model — Free and On-Device
On iOS 26 and later, VivaDicta can use Apple's on-device Foundation Model for AI processing. Completely free, no API key needed, and fully private — everything runs on your device. Quality is more limited than cloud models but works offline and has zero cost.
GitHub Copilot — Free Tier with Top Models
GitHub Copilot offers a free tier that includes 50 chat messages per month with access to models like Claude Sonnet and GPT-4.1. No credit card required — just sign in with your GitHub account. Paid plans unlock higher limits and more models. See Use Your Subscriptions.