DeepSeek V4 Flash on Routeway
Routeway Free API tier
The catch: Free models sit in a low-priority queue with more 502 errors and 'may be gone tomorrow without notice'; the Terms list a payment method as an account requirement, and the upstream providers behind the free models are not named.
| Access | Free API tier |
|---|---|
| Free limits | $0.00 input and output; Routeway's shared free-model limits apply (200 requests/day, per-minute cap 5 or 20 RPM depending on the docs page). Context on the free variant is 42,000 tokens. |
| Modality | text, code |
| Credit card | Required |
| Commercial use | Allowed |
| Trains on your data | – |
| Licence or terms | Routeway Terms of Service |
| Context window | 42,000 tokens |
| Model id | deepseek-v4-flash:free |
| Base URL | https://api.routeway.ai/v1 |
| Last checked | 8 Oct 2026 |
How to use DeepSeek V4 Flash
It speaks the OpenAI API at https://api.routeway.ai/v1, so the OpenAI SDK you already use works once you change the base URL and key.
curl https://api.routeway.ai/v1/chat/completions -H "Authorization: Bearer $ROUTEWAY_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"model":"deepseek-v4-flash:free","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Hello"}]}'I want to use the free AI model "DeepSeek V4 Flash" from Routeway (model id: deepseek-v4-flash:free) in my project. Please: 1. Check the provider docs and give me the exact steps to get a free API key. 2. Give me a minimal working example that reads the key from an environment variable. 3. Tell me the real free limits and any catch (commercial use, card, data use). Listed limits: 200 RPD · 5–20 RPM (docs differ). 4. If the same provider has a more generous free option, mention it.
Before you ship on it
- Free models sit in a low-priority queue with more 502 errors and 'may be gone tomorrow without notice'; the Terms list a payment method as an account requirement, and the upstream providers behind the free models are not named.
- Terms s.4.1 permit using the Service to 'Develop legitimate business applications'; s.4.2 bans 'unauthorized commercial purposes'. The FAQ says free models are 'intended for development, testing, and experimentation…
- Free tiers are shared capacity: treat the limits as a ceiling, not a promise, and keep a paid fallback.
Questions
Is DeepSeek V4 Flash on Routeway free?
Yes. Routeway offers it as free api tier, with these limits: 200 RPD · 5–20 RPM (docs differ).
Can I use DeepSeek V4 Flash on Routeway commercially?
Yes, under Routeway Terms of Service. Check the current terms before you ship.
How do I start with DeepSeek V4 Flash on Routeway?
It speaks the OpenAI API at https://api.routeway.ai/v1, so the OpenAI SDK you already use works once you change the base URL and key.
Source: api.routeway.ai/v1/models, checked 8 Oct 2026.