Free tier, free trial, or free software?

The word “free” can describe three very different arrangements. Start by identifying which one you are signing up for.

A recurring free tier

You receive a quota that renews on a published schedule. It may be measured in requests, tokens, compute units or credits. Those units are not interchangeable. Check both the reset schedule and the shorter rate limits.

A one-time trial

You receive promotional credit or temporary access. Check when the clock starts, whether a card is required, and what happens when the balance reaches zero. A trial is useful for evaluation, but it does not establish the ongoing cost of a project.

Free software you run yourself

Downloadable model weights or open-source code do not automatically include hosting. Your machine, electricity, rented GPU and storage can still cost money. The software license also determines permitted use.

Four questions to ask

1. Does the allowance renew, and when?
2. What does one request actually consume?
3. Will access stop, throttle, or begin charging after the limit?
4. Are commercial use and my region permitted?

Record the answers before comparing providers. A large headline quota is less useful if it excludes the model or feature you need.