Free tier - verified
Is the Cohere API free?
Yes. The Cohere API offers free trial (evaluation) API keys. Whether a card is required is not stated. Whether it trains on your data is not stated.
Read from docs.cohere.com, cohere.com. Compare every free LLM API
- Offer
- Free tier
- Card required
- Not stated
- Trains on data
- Not stated
- Verified
- 2026-10-18
The offer
- Offer class
Standing free tier
Recorded as: trial (evaluation) keys
“Cohere offers two kinds of API keys: evaluation keys (free but limited in usage), and production keys (paid and much less limited in usage).”
docs.cohere.com “With respect to pricing, the key thing to understand is that trial API key usage is free, but limited.”
docs.cohere.com - How to get it
"You can create a trial or production key on the API keys page"; trial keys are available "by simply signing up for a Cohere account".
- Card required
Not stated
Free-tier limits
Values are copied exactly as the provider publishes them, units included. Not stated means the public docs give no value.
- Monthly cap (trial keys)
- 1,000 API calls a month
| Model | Trial rate limit | Monthly cap | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Command A+ | 20 req / min | 1,000 API calls a month (shared across the key) | docs.cohere.com |
| Command A Reasoning | 20 req / min | 1,000 API calls a month (shared across the key) | docs.cohere.com |
| Command A Translate | 20 req / min | 1,000 API calls a month (shared across the key) | docs.cohere.com |
| Command A Vision | 20 req / min | 1,000 API calls a month (shared across the key) | docs.cohere.com |
| Command A | 20 req / min | 1,000 API calls a month (shared across the key) | docs.cohere.com |
| Command R+ | 20 req / min | 1,000 API calls a month (shared across the key) | docs.cohere.com |
| Command R | 20 req / min | 1,000 API calls a month (shared across the key) | docs.cohere.com |
| Command R7B | 20 req / min | 1,000 API calls a month (shared across the key) | docs.cohere.com |
| North Mini Code | 20 req / min | 1,000 API calls a month (shared across the key) | docs.cohere.com |
| Embed (endpoint) | 2,000 inputs / min | Not stated | docs.cohere.com |
| Rerank (endpoint) | 10 req / min | Not stated | docs.cohere.com |
From the limits docs
“Trial keys (and prod keys on newer Chat model variants) are limited to 1,000 API calls a month.”
Does it train on your data?
Not stated
Opt-out toggle exists; no-training commitments cover paying customers
Not explicitly stated for trial keys. Cohere's enterprise no-training commitments cover only paying customers (card on file); trial data falls under the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and an opt-out toggle for training exists.
“Our Enterprise Data Commitments apply to enterprise data of our commercial, paying customers. For the SaaS Platform, this means customers who have a credit card on file in their account.”
“Our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy apply to data we receive from users using a trial API key to access our SaaS Platform.”
“You can opt out from your prompts and generations being used to train Cohere models in your dashboard settings at any time.”
“Where a user has given Cohere permission to use inputs and outputs for model training, we take steps to de-identify and strip personal information that may appear in inputs or outputs prior to use in model training.”
Restrictions
Trial is for testing and proofs of concept
“Developers wanting to test different applications or build proofs of concept can use all of Cohere's models and APIs can do so with a trial key”
docs.cohere.com Free features are for trial purposes
“While we make certain features available for free for trial purposes, Cohere's AI solutions are not intended for personal, family, or household purposes.”
cohere.com
Upgrade path
Production key (paid); Command A and R models get "500 req / min". "Prod keys work like trial keys for newer model variants such as Command A Reasoning. Please contact sales@cohere.com if you intend to use those models in production."
FAQ
Is the Cohere API free?
Yes. The Cohere API offers free trial (evaluation) API keys. Whether a card is required is not stated. Whether it trains on your data is not stated.
What are the Cohere free limits?
1,000 API calls a month; 20 req / min on Command models.
Does Cohere train on your data?
Not stated (Opt-out toggle exists; no-training commitments cover paying customers). The terms say: "Our Enterprise Data Commitments apply to enterprise data of our commercial, paying customers. For the SaaS Platform, this means customers who have a credit card on file in their account."
Sources
Last verified from Cohere's own pages below. Quotes are verbatim.
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