MiniMax M3.1 Flash is free right now on OpenRouter as minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:free, and OpenCode can use it once you connect OpenRouter. It was released on October 19, 2026 with a 1,000,000 token context window and tool calling, which is what an agent like OpenCode needs to read a repository and change it. For its first few days it was also free on OpenCode Zen, but on October 23, 2026 it was no longer on the Zen free list.
This guide covers what the model is, how to run it free in OpenCode today, the limits, and the kind of work to try first.
What is MiniMax M3.1 Flash?
MiniMax M3.1 Flash is a multimodal model from MiniMax that the vendor describes as an improvement on M3 "particularly in complex agentic tasks, coding, and cybersecurity". According to its OpenRouter page, checked October 23, 2026:
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Free OpenRouter ID | minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:free |
| ID in OpenCode | openrouter/minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:free |
| Released | October 19, 2026 |
| Context window | 1,000,000 tokens |
| Price of the free variant | Free input and output |
| Architecture (vendor description) | Open-weights mixture of experts, 23B active and 428B total parameters |
| OpenCode Zen | No longer free as of October 23, 2026 |
MiniMax calls out understanding real codebases, fixing bugs and building features, plus visual work such as frontend creation. Those are the vendor's own words; there are no independent coding benchmarks for it yet, so the honest way to judge it is on your own tasks.
Is MiniMax M3.1 Flash free?
Yes, on OpenRouter, with the usual free-tier limits. It is no longer free through OpenCode Zen.
| OpenRouter (free) | OpenCode Zen | |
|---|---|---|
| Status on October 23, 2026 | Free | Not on the free list |
| Model ID in OpenCode | openrouter/minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:free | none free |
| Limits | 20 requests a minute; 50 a day, or 1,000 a day after 10 credits bought | not applicable |
| Data | Depends on your OpenRouter privacy settings for free models | not applicable |
| Sources | limits, privacy | Zen models |
How do I use MiniMax M3.1 Flash free in OpenCode?
- Create an API key in your OpenRouter account settings.
- In OpenCode, run
/connect, choose OpenRouter and paste the key. - Start a session on the free model:
opencode -m openrouter/minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:freeIf OpenCode does not list the model yet, run opencode models --refresh; if it is still missing, add "minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:free": {} under provider.openrouter.models in opencode.json, as the providers docs describe. The full walk-through is in OpenRouter free models.
To make it the default for one project only, set it in that project's opencode.json:
{
"$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
"model": "openrouter/minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:free"
}If you set up the OpenCode Zen ID opencode/minimax-m3.1-flash-free in its first days, switch that line to the OpenRouter ID above, or pick one of the models that are free on Zen now.
What to try first
A free model with a 1M window invites you to throw the whole repository at it. Start smaller, with tasks whose result you can check in a minute:
- Find and fix one failing test. Give it the test name and let it read what it needs.
- Explain an unfamiliar module before you change it: "what does src/billing do, and what calls it?"
- A small frontend change, since MiniMax highlights frontend creation: one component, one screenshot to compare.
- A bug with a clear reproduction, then ask for the test that proves the fix.
opencode run -m openrouter/minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:free "The test 'parses ISO dates' in test/date.test.ts fails. Find the cause, fix it, and run the test."
Keep each task in its own session. A large window still fills up during a long session, and a fresh session per task keeps the model focused on one goal. If the result is close but not right, send a follow-up in the same session rather than starting over.
What to watch
- Free periods end. It already left the OpenCode Zen free list within four days. Keep a second model connected so a task can move when the OpenRouter free variant changes too.
- The daily cap. On OpenRouter, 50 requests a day goes quickly with an agent, since each tool step is another request.
- Privacy settings. Free OpenRouter models depend on your account's privacy settings; check them before sending client code.
- Review everything. A model that is days old is exactly when you read the diff line by line.
FAQ
Is MiniMax M3.1 Flash free in OpenCode?
Yes, through OpenRouter: connect OpenRouter with /connect and use openrouter/minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:free. It was no longer on the OpenCode Zen free list on October 23, 2026.
What is the MiniMax M3.1 Flash model ID on OpenRouter?
The free variant is minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:free. In OpenCode, prefix it with the provider: openrouter/minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:free.
How many free requests do I get?
As of October 2026, OpenRouter allows 20 requests a minute on free variants, and 50 a day, or 1,000 a day once you have bought at least 10 credits (limits).
Where VibeiDE fits
VibeiDE is a desktop app that coordinates the Codex, Claude Code and OpenCode CLIs you already use, with your own provider accounts. You can install OpenCode from Profile > AI tool setup without needing Node.js or npm, and the info button beside OpenCode in the composer lists the current free OpenRouter models and can prefill a setup task for Claude Code or Codex (release notes). OpenCode runs headless with recorded activity, each project has its own task queue, and finished tasks wait in Ready for review, so a batch of small tasks on MiniMax M3.1 Flash stays easy to check. See free AI coding models and VibeiDE for OpenCode.
Takeaways
- MiniMax M3.1 Flash was released October 19, 2026 with a 1,000,000 token context and tool calling.
- It is free on OpenRouter as
minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:free; it left the OpenCode Zen free list by October 23, 2026. - Run it with
opencode -m openrouter/minimax/minimax-m3.1-flash:freeafter connecting OpenRouter. - OpenRouter caps free use at 20 requests a minute and 50 or 1,000 a day.
- Start with small, checkable tasks, one per session, and review every result.
