River AI
Free Credits
River AI: $25 Free API Credits, No Card
River AI just launched its inference API for open models, and every new signup gets $25 in free credits: no credit card, no student ID, open to everyone. The credit covers DeepSeek V4.1 Flash and GLM-5.3 Flash through an OpenAI-compatible API at api.river.ai/v1, so it drops straight into your existing agent or coding setup. At River's official prices ($0.12 per 1M input tokens on either model; $0.48/1M output on DeepSeek, $0.40/1M output on GLM-5.3 Flash), $25 buys roughly 208M input tokens on either model, about 52M output tokens on DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, or about 62M output tokens on GLM-5.3 Flash. One caveat baked in: the $25 is not advertised on river.ai's marketing homepage; it shows up in Billing after you sign up, which the site owner and several October walkthroughs confirm. Expiry of the credit itself is not published, so treat it as a use-it-while-it-lasts trial budget. Verified Oct 19, 2026.
What this offer actually gives you
River AI is a new inference provider for open models: instead of running your own GPU or juggling provider-specific SDKs, you point your app, agent, or IDE at api.river.ai/v1 with one API key and call models through an OpenAI-compatible API. The current lineup, from River's own model list, centers on two flagship open models: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash and GLM-5.3 Flash, each with a 262k context window per River's published model list. Documentation lives at docs.river.ai.
The honest credit math, from River's own comparison table. Both models price at $0.12 per 1M input tokens. DeepSeek V4.1 Flash outputs cost $0.48 per 1M, GLM-5.3 Flash outputs $0.40 per 1M. So $25 buys roughly 208M input tokens on either model, about 52M output tokens on DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, or about 62M output tokens on GLM-5.3 Flash. For a typical coding-assistant mix that is a serious trial budget, not a toy balance, though heavy output ratios (long generations) spend it faster.
Claiming takes minutes. Sign up at console.river.ai, open Billing, and the $25 credit shows up in the account. Then create an API key (Console to API Keys) and call either model from your client, agent framework, or a plain curl against https://api.river.ai/v1. No credit card is required at any step, and no region restriction has been published, so the offer reads as open to everyone.
The caveats, stated plainly. The $25 grant is reported on signup and shows in Billing: river.ai's marketing homepage does not advertise it, so go in expecting the balance to appear after account creation (confirmed by the site owner and multiple October 2026 walkthroughs showing $25 in the account). Assume the credit is for inference usage: nothing published suggests it covers training. And River publishes no credit expiry date and no offer end date, so use the credit promptly rather than parking it.
How to claim this offer
$25 in Free API Credits at Signup
Create a River AI account at console.river.ai and $25 in free API credits lands in your Billing tab, with no credit card required. Spend it on DeepSeek V4.1 Flash or GLM-5.3 Flash through the OpenAI-compatible API at api.river.ai/v1. At official prices that is roughly 208M input tokens on either model, ~52M output tokens on DeepSeek, or ~62M output tokens on GLM-5.3 Flash.
- $25 free API credits for every new signup
- No credit card and no student ID required
- Covers DeepSeek V4.1 Flash and GLM-5.3 Flash
- OpenAI-compatible API: api.river.ai/v1 with one key
- 262k context window on both models per River's model list
- Roughly 208M input tokens per $25 on either model
- Open to everyone: no region limits found
How to claim this deal
- 1
Sign up at console.river.ai.
- 2
Open Billing and confirm the $25 credit shows in the account.
- 3
Go to Console to API Keys and create a new API key (copy it immediately).
- 4
Use the key against https://api.river.ai/v1 from your client, agent, or curl, choosing either DeepSeek V4.1 Flash or GLM-5.3 Flash.
The $25 is not advertised on river.ai's marketing homepage; it shows up in Billing after signup. Credit expiry and any offer end date are not published, so use the balance promptly.
Key benefits
- $25 of real model usage without a card
- Try two strong open models before paying any provider
- One key, one bill, OpenAI-compatible tooling
- Practical for coding projects or coursework
Eligibility and requirements
- A River AI account (new signup)
- Credits are for API inference usage; training is not covered
- DeepSeek V4.1 Flash: $0.12/1M input, $0.48/1M output
- GLM-5.3 Flash: $0.12/1M input, $0.40/1M output
- 262k context window on both models per River's model list
- No published credit expiry or offer end date
- No region restriction found
Pro tip
Spend the input-heavy way: both models cost $0.12 per 1M input tokens, so retrieval-augmented coding workflows stretch the $25 much further than long generations. And since no expiry is published, run your experiments this week, not next month.
Who is eligible?
Eligibility requirements
Anyone who signs up for a new River AI account at console.river.ai. No student status, no credit card, no region restriction found.
River AI offer FAQs
How do I get the $25 in free River AI credits?
Sign up at console.river.ai. The $25 shows up in Billing after signup, no credit card needed. Then create an API key under Console to API Keys and start calling the models.
Which models can I use the River AI credit on?
DeepSeek V4.1 Flash and GLM-5.3 Flash, both served on River's OpenAI-compatible API at api.river.ai/v1. Each has a 262k context window per River's model list.
How much usage does $25 buy on River AI?
Roughly 208M input tokens on either model, about 52M output tokens on DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, or about 62M output tokens on GLM-5.3 Flash, based on River's official prices.
Is the $25 River AI credit on their homepage?
No. river.ai's marketing homepage does not advertise it; the credit shows up in Billing after you sign up, confirmed by the site owner and several October 2026 walkthroughs showing $25 in the account.
Does River AI require a credit card for the free credits?
No. The signup grant needs no credit card, no student ID, and no region restriction has been published.
Does the River AI credit expire?
River publishes no credit expiry date and no offer end date. Treat it as use-it-while-it-lasts and spend it promptly rather than parking the balance.
What is River AI?
A new inference API for open models with an OpenAI-compatible endpoint (api.river.ai/v1) serving DeepSeek V4.1 Flash and GLM-5.3 Flash. Signup is at console.river.ai and docs are at docs.river.ai.
About River AI
River AI is a new inference API for open models: an OpenAI-compatible endpoint (api.river.ai/v1) serving DeepSeek V4.1 Flash and GLM-5.3 Flash with one API key, docs at docs.river.ai.
