IDE ExtensionsSKILL.mdclaude-codeclaude-skillsopenclawopenclaw-skills
Installation
# Add to your Claude Code skills
git clone https://github.com/Shaivpidadi/FreeRide
SKILL.md
name: freeride
description: Manages free AI models from OpenRouter for OpenClaw. Automatically ranks models by quality, configures fallbacks for rate-limit handling, and updates openclaw.json. Use when the user mentions free AI, OpenRouter, model switching, rate limits, or wants to reduce AI costs.
env:
name: OPENROUTER_API_KEY
description: OpenRouter API key β get a free one at openrouter.ai/keys
required: true
secret: true
network:
Configures OpenClaw to use free AI models from OpenRouter. Sets the best free model as primary, adds ranked fallbacks so rate limits don't interrupt the user, and preserves existing config.
Prerequisites
Before running any FreeRide command, ensure:
OPENROUTER_API_KEY is set. Check with echo $OPENROUTER_API_KEY. If empty, the user must get a free key at https://openrouter.ai/keys and set it:
export OPENROUTER_API_KEY="sk-or-v1-..."
# Or persist it:
openclaw config set env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY "sk-or-v1-..."
The freeride CLI is installed. Check with which freeride. If not found:
cd ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/free-ride
pip install -e .
Primary Workflow
When the user wants free AI, run these steps in order:
# Step 1: Configure best free model + fallbacks
freeride auto
# Step 2: Restart gateway so OpenClaw picks up the changes
openclaw gateway restart
That's it. The user now has free AI with automatic fallback switching.
Verify by telling the user to send /status to check the active model.
Commands Reference
| Command | When to use it |
|---------|----------------|
| freeride auto | User wants free AI set up (most common) |
| | User wants fallbacks but wants to keep their current primary model |
| | User wants more fallbacks (default is 5) |
| | User wants to see available free models |
| | User wants to see all free models |
| | User wants a specific model (e.g. ) |
| | Add specific model as fallback only |
| | Check current FreeRide configuration |
| | Update only the fallback models |
| | Force refresh the cached model list |
README.md
π’ FreeRide
Stop paying for AI. Start riding free.
FreeRide gives you unlimited free AI in OpenClaw by automatically managing OpenRouter's free models.
You: *hits rate limit*
FreeRide: "I got you." *switches to next best model*
You: *keeps coding*
The Problem
You're using OpenClaw. You love it. But:
πΈ API costs add up fast
π« Free models have rate limits
π€ Manually switching models is annoying
π€· You don't know which free model is actually good
The Solution
One command. Free AI. Forever.
freeride auto
That's it. FreeRide:
Finds the 30+ free models on OpenRouter
Ranks them by quality (context length, capabilities, speed)
The agent harness performance optimization system. Skills, instincts, memory, security, and research-first development for Claude Code, Codex, Opencode, Cursor and beyond.
131,680
freeride auto -f
freeride auto -c 10
freeride list
freeride list -n 30
freeride switch <model>
freeride switch qwen3-coder
freeride switch <model> -f
freeride status
freeride fallbacks
freeride refresh
After any command that changes config, always run openclaw gateway restart.
What It Writes to Config
FreeRide updates only these keys in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:
agents.defaults.model.primary β e.g. openrouter/qwen/qwen3-coder:free
agents.defaults.model.fallbacks β e.g. ["openrouter/free", "nvidia/nemotron:free", ...]
agents.defaults.models β allowlist so /model command shows the free models
Everything else (gateway, channels, plugins, env, customInstructions, named agents) is preserved.
The first fallback is always openrouter/free β OpenRouter's smart router that auto-picks the best available model based on the request.
Watcher (Optional)
For auto-rotation when rate limited, the user can run:
freeride-watcher --daemon # Continuous monitoring
freeride-watcher --rotate # Force rotate now
freeride-watcher --status # Check rotation history
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| freeride: command not found | cd ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/free-ride && pip install -e . |
| OPENROUTER_API_KEY not set | User needs a key from https://openrouter.ai/keys |
| Changes not taking effect | openclaw gateway restart then /new for fresh session |
| Agent shows 0 tokens | Check freeride status β primary should be openrouter/<provider>/<model>:free |
Sets
Configures smart fallbacks for when you hit rate limits
Preserves your existing OpenClaw config
Installation
npx clawhub@latest install free-ride
cd ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/free-ride
pip install -e .
That's it. freeride and freeride-watcher are now available as global commands.
openclaw config set env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY "sk-or-v1-..."
3. Run FreeRide
freeride auto
4. Restart OpenClaw
openclaw gateway restart
5. Verify It Works
Message your agent on WhatsApp/Telegram/Discord or the dashboard:
You: /status
Agent: (shows the free model name + token count)
Done. You're now running on free AI with automatic fallbacks.
What You Get
Primary Model: openrouter/nvidia/nemotron-3-nano-30b-a3b:free (256K context)
Fallbacks:
1. openrouter/free β Smart router (auto-picks best available)
2. qwen/qwen3-coder:free β Great for coding
3. stepfun/step-3.5:free β Fast responses
4. deepseek/deepseek:free β Strong reasoning
5. mistral/mistral:free β Reliable fallback
When you hit a rate limit, OpenClaw automatically tries the next model. You keep working. No interruptions.
Commands
| Command | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| freeride auto | Auto-configure best model + fallbacks |
| freeride list | See all 30+ free models ranked |
| freeride switch <model> | Use a specific model |
| freeride status | Check your current setup |
| freeride fallbacks | Update fallbacks only |
| freeride refresh | Force refresh model cache |
Pro Tips
# Already have a model you like? Just add fallbacks:
freeride auto -f
# Want more fallbacks for maximum uptime?
freeride auto -c 10
# Coding? Switch to the best coding model:
freeride switch qwen3-coder
# See what's available:
freeride list -n 30
# Always restart OpenClaw after changes:
openclaw gateway restart
The smart fallbackopenrouter/free is always first - it auto-selects based on what your request needs.
Testing with Your OpenClaw Agent
After running freeride auto and openclaw gateway restart:
# Check OpenClaw sees the models
openclaw models list
# Validate config
openclaw doctor --fix
# Open the dashboard and chat
openclaw dashboard
# Or message your agent on WhatsApp/Telegram/Discord
Useful agent commands to verify:
| Command | What it tells you |
|---------|-------------------|
| /status | Current model + token usage |
| /model | Available models (your free models should be listed) |
| /new | Start fresh session with the new model |
Watcher (Auto-Rotation)
FreeRide includes a watcher daemon that monitors for rate limits and automatically rotates models:
# Run once (check + rotate if needed)
freeride-watcher
# Run as daemon (continuous monitoring)
freeride-watcher --daemon
# Force rotate to next model
freeride-watcher --rotate
# Check watcher status
freeride-watcher --status
# Clear rate limit cooldowns
freeride-watcher --clear-cooldowns
FAQ
Is this actually free?
Yes. OpenRouter provides free tiers for many models. You just need an account (no credit card).
What about rate limits?
That's the whole point. FreeRide configures multiple fallbacks. When one model rate-limits you, OpenClaw automatically switches to the next.
Will it mess up my OpenClaw config?
No. FreeRide only touches agents.defaults.model and agents.defaults.models. Your gateway, channels, plugins, workspace, customInstructions - all preserved.
Which models are free?
Run freeride list to see current availability. It changes, which is why FreeRide exists.
Do I need to restart OpenClaw after changes?
Yes. Run openclaw gateway restart after any FreeRide command that changes your config.
The Math
| Scenario | Monthly Cost |
|----------|--------------|
| GPT-4 API | $50-200+ |
| Claude API | $50-200+ |
| OpenClaw + FreeRide | $0 |
