Roo-Code/FREE_TRIAL_SETUP.md

Free Trial Setup Guide

Get started with Roo Code in minutes using free AI provider trials! No credit card required for initial setup.

Quick Start Options

Option 1: OpenRouter (Recommended - Easiest Setup)

OpenRouter offers $1 in free credits upon signup - enough for hundreds of interactions!

1. Sign up at openrouter.ai
2. Get your API key from openrouter.ai/keys
3. Configure in Roo Code:
   • Open VS Code Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P)
   • Type "Roo Code: Open Settings"
   • Select "OpenRouter" as your provider
   • Paste your API key
   • Choose a model (we recommend anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet for best results)

Option 2: Google Gemini (Most Generous Free Tier)

Google offers free usage of Gemini 1.5 Flash with generous rate limits.

1. Get API key at aistudio.google.com
   • Sign in with your Google account
   • Click "Get API Key"
   • Create a new API key
2. Configure in Roo Code:
   • Open VS Code Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P)
   • Type "Roo Code: Open Settings"
   • Select "Google Gemini" as your provider
   • Paste your API key
   • Select gemini-1.5-flash (free tier)

Option 3: Groq (Fastest Responses)

Groq provides free tier access with extremely fast inference speeds.

1. Sign up at console.groq.com
2. Create API key at console.groq.com/keys
3. Configure in Roo Code:
   • Open VS Code Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P)
   • Type "Roo Code: Open Settings"
   • Select "Groq" as your provider
   • Paste your API key
   • Choose llama-3.3-70b-versatile for best performance

Provider Comparison

Provider	Free Credits	Best For	Setup Difficulty
OpenRouter	$1 free credits	Trying premium models	Easiest
Google Gemini	Generous free tier	Extended usage	Easy
Groq	Free tier	Fast responses	Easy
Anthropic	$5 free (with phone)	Claude models	Moderate
OpenAI	$5 free (new accounts)	GPT models	Moderate

Configuration Tips

Setting Up Your First Model

1. After adding your API key, Roo Code will show available models
2. For best results, we recommend:
   • Code generation: Claude 3.5 Sonnet or GPT-4
   • Quick tasks: Gemini 1.5 Flash or Llama 3.3
   • Budget-conscious: Gemini Flash (free) or Claude Haiku

Switching Between Providers

You can easily switch providers or use multiple providers:

1. Open Roo Code settings
2. Click "Add Provider" to configure additional providers
3. Use the provider dropdown in the chat interface to switch

Troubleshooting

"Invalid API Key" Error

• Double-check you've copied the entire key
• Ensure no extra spaces before/after the key
• Verify the key is active in your provider's dashboard

"Rate Limit Exceeded"

• Free tiers have usage limits
• Wait a few minutes and try again
• Consider upgrading or switching providers

"Model Not Available"

• Some models require paid accounts
• Switch to a free-tier model in settings

Next Steps

Once configured, try these to get started:

1. Test your setup: Type "Hello, can you see this?" in Roo Code
2. Try Code mode: Ask Roo to create a simple HTML file
3. Explore Architect mode: Plan your next project
4. Use Debug mode: Fix an existing code issue

Need Help?

• Documentation: docs.roocode.com
• Discord Community: discord.gg/roocode
• Video Tutorials: YouTube Channel

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Pro Tip: Start with OpenRouter for the easiest setup experience. You can always add more providers later!