Claude Code Free: How to Use Claude Code for Free With Ollama

Claude Code free is real — and I'm going to show you exactly how to set it up today.

Here's the deal.

Claude Code normally requires a paid subscription.

£20-200/month depending on tier.

But you can run Claude Code for free using Ollama with free cloud models like GLM 5.1.

No subscription.

No credit card.

Zero ongoing cost (within usage limits).

Let me walk you through the setup.

Video notes + links to the tools 👉

How Claude Code Free Works

Claude Code is normally tied to Anthropic's API.

You pay Anthropic for model access.

The free setup uses Ollama as an alternative model provider.

Ollama offers free cloud models up to usage limits.

Point Claude Code at Ollama.

Use free models.

Pay nothing.

The Exact Setup

Step 1: Download Ollama

Go to ollama.com.

Copy the installation command.

Paste in your terminal.

curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

Step 2: Pick Your Free Model

Visit ollama.com/models.

Scroll to find cloud models.

GLM 5.1 is my recommendation — fast and capable.

Step 3: Copy the Model Command

Each model has a launch command.

For GLM 5.1:

ollama run glm5.1-cloud

Step 4: Launch Claude Code with Ollama

Open a new terminal window.

Paste the command.

Claude Code launches with GLM 5.1 Cloud plugged in.

You can see it says "GLM 5.1 Cloud" in the response.

Step 5: Use Claude Code Free

Test it:

Claude: "Yes, I'm working. How can I help you today?"

You're now using Claude Code completely free.

Free Cloud Models vs Free Local Models

Free Cloud Models

GLM 5.1 Cloud
Qwen 3.5 Cloud
Others via Ollama

Free up to usage limits.

Beyond limits: you'd need a different approach.

Free Local Models

Gemma 4 (runs locally)
Qwen 3.5 local version
Llama 3.3

Completely free forever but slower.

My Claude Code Local breakdown covers the local-only approach in depth.

Hybrid Approach

Use cloud models when fast/quality needed.

Fall back to local when hitting limits.

Best of both worlds.

Why Ollama + GLM 5.1 Works

GLM 5.1 Cloud Strengths

Fast response times
Good coding quality
Reliable uptime
Works well with Claude Code protocols

The Free Tier

Ollama offers cloud models free within token limits.

For typical developer usage, you likely stay within limits.

Heavy users might exceed — then switch to local models or minimal paid tier.

Usage Limits

Specific limits change — check Ollama current terms.

Generally generous for individual developers.

Teams may need additional planning.

🔥 Complete Claude Code Free setup guide

Inside the AI Profit Boardroom, I've built a full Claude Code free setup tutorial covering Ollama installation, model selection, optimisation. Plus usage strategies to stay within free limits. 2,800+ members running Claude Code without subscriptions.

→ Get the Claude Code Free training here

Switching Models Mid-Session

You can change models any time.

End current session (Ctrl+C).

Launch with different model:

ollama run qwen3.5-cloud

Or switch to local for unlimited use:

ollama run gemma4

Your Claude Code workflow continues seamlessly.

Why This Matters

For Solo Developers

Why pay £20+/month when you can get similar capability free?

Saves £240-2,400/year.

For Teams

Multiply savings across developers.

10-person team: £2,400-24,000/year saved.

For Students

Learning Claude Code workflows without subscription commitment.

For Experimentation

Unlimited iteration for free.

No quota anxiety.

For Privacy-Conscious Users

Local models especially.

No data leaves your machine.

Setting Up for Production Use

For Occasional Use

Cloud models via Ollama work great.

Switch to local when hitting limits.

For Heavy Daily Use

Consider local models primarily.

Use cloud occasionally for quality-critical work.

For Team Deployment

Shared Ollama instance on server.

Everyone accesses via local network.

Costs remain minimal.

Learn how I make these videos 👉

Common Issues and Fixes

Issue: "Model not found"

Run ollama list to see installed models.

Pull the model if missing: ollama pull glm5.1-cloud.

Issue: Slow responses

Local models are slower than cloud.

Try cloud model for speed.

Or upgrade hardware.

Issue: Quality lower than paid Claude

Free models are ~80-90% as good.

For 90% of tasks, indistinguishable.

For elite-quality work, paid Claude still wins.

Issue: Hitting token limits

Switch to local models.

Or upgrade to small paid tier for burst capacity.

Performance Comparison

Paid Claude Code

Speed: Very fast
Quality: Best available
Cost: £20-200/month

Claude Code Free (Cloud)

Speed: Fast
Quality: Very good (85-90% of paid)
Cost: £0 within limits

Claude Code Free (Local)

Speed: Moderate
Quality: Good for most tasks
Cost: £0 always

Integration With Your Workflow

Claude Code Free works with:

VS Code
JetBrains IDEs
Command line
Git workflows
Any tool that supports Claude Code

See my Claude Code AI SEO setup for content automation workflows.

🔥 Master Claude Code Free for your specific workflow

Inside the AI Profit Boardroom, I share workflow-specific configurations for Claude Code Free. Development, content, automation, research. Plus ongoing updates as new free models become available.

→ Get workflow-specific training here

Claude Code Free: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Claude Code really free this way?

Yes, within Ollama's cloud usage limits. Local models are always free.

What's the catch?

Speed is slower than paid Claude. Quality slightly lower. Usage limits on cloud.

Can I use this for commercial work?

Yes, both Claude Code and Ollama permit commercial use.

Is my code safe?

Cloud models send data to provider. Local models keep everything on your machine.

How do I know if I'm hitting limits?

Ollama tells you when you hit cloud limits. Switch to local models seamlessly.

Can I still use paid Claude Code alongside this?

Yes, no conflict. Use free for most tasks, paid when needed.