yangmao.ai · Free API intent page
Groq Free API Guide
Groq has a tracked free API path, with Free tier（永久免费） and rate limit notes of 30 RPM / 6000 TPM.
Quick verdict
- Free API: Free tier（永久免费）
- Rate limits: 30 RPM / 6000 TPM
- Best model starting point: Llama 3.3 70B Versatile
- Mainland China access: proxy/relay likely needed
Provider fit matrix
Groq buyer intent notes
Who should care
Best for latency-sensitive prototypes, free Llama inference testing, and routing experiments where speed matters more than model breadth.
Decision trigger
Use Groq as a fast free-tier smoke test or secondary route for chat, agents, and demos.
Watch out: Free limits can throttle quickly; keep a paid or aggregator fallback before shipping public traffic.
Production readiness checklist
Python setup snapshot
Start with the smallest possible chat completion, then move the key to your server-side secret manager before production.
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
api_key="gsk_your-groq-key",
base_url="https://api.groq.com/openai/v1"
)
response = client.chat.completions.create(
model="llama-3.3-70b-versatile",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}],
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)cURL smoke test
Use this to verify endpoint, auth header, model name, response shape, and quota before adding SDK abstractions.
curl https://api.groq.com/openai/v1/chat/completions \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $GROQ_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "Llama 3.3 70B Versatile",
"messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello from yangmao.ai"}]
}'Free API and pricing notes
Free tier（永久免费）
Free API powered by custom LPU (Language Processing Unit) chip, 10x+ faster than GPU. API keys start with gsk_. OpenAI-compatible format. Free tier has rate limits but no total cap, very generous for personal development.
Access and production risk
Relay or proxy may be needed
Requires proxy in China. API remains extremely fast even through proxy thanks to LPU chips. Use openllmapi.com as proxy.
Decision checklist
Check Groq free credits and rate limits.
Compare same-category providers and Mainland China access needs.
Pick the provider with the clearest no-card/free API path for testing.
Credit-change alerts
Want to know when free credits, pricing, or availability changes? Subscribe first, then compare official providers, API gateways, and alternatives.
Subscribe → Get an OpenLLMAPI key → Compare API gateways →Related internal links
Source snapshot
Data source: yangmao.ai provider YAML tracker plus provider docs reviewed by the daily crawler. Official dashboards can change quota and pricing without notice; verify before production.
- yangmao.ai provider id
- groq
- Official source
- https://groq.com
- Last updated
- 2026-06-01
- Free tier
- 6000 tokens/min (Llama 3.3 70B)
- API credits
- Free tier（永久免费）
- Rate limit
- 30 RPM / 6000 TPM
- Access note
- Requires proxy in China. API remains extremely fast even through proxy thanks to LPU chips. Use openllmapi.com as proxy.
FAQ
Does Groq have a free API?
Yes. Current yangmao.ai record: Free tier（永久免费）. Rate limit note: 30 RPM / 6000 TPM.
Is Groq OpenAI-compatible?
The recorded setup uses an OpenAI-compatible pattern or SDK-style call. Validate the latest base URL and model names in Groq docs.
Can I use Groq from mainland China?
Groq may need a proxy or relay from mainland China. Test latency and signup before production.
What should I do when Groq credits run out?
Compare the alternatives below, check /en/free-ai-api/, and shortlist official providers or API gateway options before production.
Is Groq a good primary production API?
It can be excellent for low-latency routes, but free-tier workloads should keep a fallback for quota, model availability, and traffic spikes.