Free API credits for open-source maintainers
The ModelRunner Open Source Program gives maintainers of active open-source projects $25 to $1,500+ a month in free API credits to ship AI features with one API across image, video, audio, 3D and language models. Apply with your repository — a person reads it and replies within 3–5 business days.
- Seed$25
- Starter$50 – $150 / month
- Growth$150 – $400 / month
- Flagship$400 – $1,500+ / month
How it works
Apply
Tell us about your project — the repository, your role, and what you want to build with the credits. Applications are read by a person, usually within a few business days.
Integrate
Wire ModelRunner into your project through the REST API, the JavaScript SDK, or the hosted MCP server, and add the badge to your README so users know where the AI features run.
Receive credits
Approved projects get credits applied directly to the ModelRunner account balance on the email you applied with — no coupon codes, no separate billing surface.
Grow with us
As your project grows we grow the grant: the Flagship tier renews monthly, and we co-market launches and showcase what you build on the blog and social channels.
The README badge, ready to paste:
[](https://modelrunner.ai/?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=oss-program)Credit tiers
Growth
$150 – $400 / month
1,000 – 10,000 stars, or 100k+ monthly downloads
One-time 3-month grant
ApplyFlagship
$400 – $1,500+ / month
10,000+ stars, or ecosystem-critical infrastructure
Renewed monthly
ApplyStars are a first-pass signal, not the whole decision — actual usage, dependents, and ecosystem impact all count toward the final tier.
Eligibility and program rules
Who can apply
- You are a primary or core maintainer of the project
- The project is public and under an OSI-approved license
- Actively developed — a commit within the last 3 months
- One application per project, from the email on your ModelRunner account
How we keep it honest
- Stars are a first-pass signal — we also look at real usage, dependents, and ecosystem impact
- Toy projects, demos, and star-farmed repositories are not eligible
- Keep the badge visible in your README while the grant is active
- Keep your API key in environment variables or secrets — never committed
Frequently asked questions
- What can I build with the credits?
- Anything that runs on ModelRunner: image, video, audio, 3D and language models from the public catalog, called through the REST API, the JavaScript SDK, or the hosted MCP server. Credits are spent at each model’s published rate — the same pricing every account pays.
- How are credits delivered?
- As balance applied directly to the ModelRunner account on the email you applied with. There is no separate credit currency — your requests draw down the balance at each model’s published rate.
- Which tier will my project get?
- GitHub stars decide the starting tier, but they are only a first-pass signal — we also weigh actual usage, dependents, and how critical the project is to its ecosystem. Ecosystem-critical infrastructure can qualify for Flagship regardless of stars.
- What do you ask for in return?
- Keep the "Powered by ModelRunner" badge visible in your README while the grant is active. Removing it pauses the grant.
- What happens when the credits run out?
- Nothing surprising: your account keeps working on the normal usage-based pricing, and you can top up like any other account. Flagship grants are reviewed and renewed monthly; Starter and Growth grants are one-time and can be re-applied for as the project grows.
- My project already ships AI features — can I still apply?
- Yes. Migrating an existing integration to ModelRunner counts, and swapping models is an endpoint string rather than a new integration, so moving over is usually a small change.
- How much are the credits worth?
- Seed is a one-time $25 credit for projects under 100 stars that are at least 3 months old. Starter is $50–150 a month and Growth is $150–400 a month, each as a one-time 3-month grant. Flagship is $400–1,500+ a month, renewed monthly. Every credit expires 365 days after it is added.
- Do I need a ModelRunner account to apply?
- No. Apply first, using the email you would sign up with. If the application is approved we ask you to create the account with that same email before the credits are added, because they land on the account balance.
- Which licenses qualify?
- Any OSI-approved license — MIT, Apache 2.0, BSD, MPL, GPL, AGPL and the rest. A repository with no license file, or a custom non-OSI license, is not eligible until that is fixed.
- How long does the review take?
- A person reads every application and usually replies within 3–5 business days. The review looks at the license, recent activity, dependents and real usage — stars only set the starting tier.
Apply for credits
Tell us about your project and what you want to build. A real person reads every application — we usually reply within 3–5 business days.
- Credits land directly on your account balance
- Same published per-model rates as every account
- Co-marketing for launches as your project grows
Prefer email? [email protected]