Alibaba Cloud Makes Qwen Free: 2000 Daily AI Coding Calls + 70M Tokens
What Just Happened?
In August 2026, Alibaba Cloud announced that its entire Qwen model family is now available for free. This includes the flagship Qwen3.8-Max, code models, and multimodal models. Combined with the new-user package of 70 million free AI tokens, Alibaba Cloud Model Studio (Bailian) is now one of the most generous free AI platforms available.
Qwen Code: 2000 Free Daily AI Coding Runs
Qwen Code is a terminal-based AI coding agent built on Qwen3-Coder models, competing with Google Gemini CLI, Claude Code, and Codex CLI.
| Feature | Qwen Code Free Tier |
|---|---|
| Daily runs (mainland China) | 2,000 |
| Daily runs (international) | 1,000 |
| Token limits | None |
| Rate limit | 60 calls/minute |
| Installation | Single npm command |
Install Qwen Code
Requirements: Node.js 20+.
npx @qwen-code/qwen-code@latest
Authenticate with your Alibaba Cloud account. China users get free tier automatically; international users via OpenRouter.
Capabilities
- Code understanding across large codebases beyond context windows
- Automated git workflows (PRs, rebases)
- Code refactoring and optimization
- Documentation generation
- Bug detection and autonomous terminal command execution
Free API Access via Model Studio
| Benefit | Amount |
|---|---|
| Free AI tokens | 70 million |
| AI image generations | 100 |
| AI video generation | 50 seconds |
| No-threshold voucher | 200 CNY (~$28) |
| Validity | 180 days |
| Credit card required | No |
Available Free Models
| Model | Best For |
|---|---|
| Qwen3.8-Max | Flagship reasoning |
| Qwen3.7-Max | Agent workflows, 1M context |
| Qwen3-Plus | Balanced performance |
| Qwen3-Flash | High-speed tasks |
| Qwen3-Coder-Plus | Code generation |
| DeepSeek V3/V4-Pro | Also available on platform |
First API Call (Python)
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
api_key="YOUR_API_KEY",
base_url="https://dashscope.aliyuncs.com/compatible-mode/v1"
)
response = client.chat.completions.create(
model="qwen3.7-max",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)
OpenAI-compatible API for easy migration.
Qwen Code vs Competitors
| Tool | Free Daily Calls | Token Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Qwen Code | 2,000/1,000 | None |
| Gemini CLI | 1,000 | Yes |
| Copilot CLI | Paid only | N/A |
| Claude Code | Paid only | N/A |
Coding Plan Lite: 7.9 CNY First Month
For power users, Coding Plan Lite offers unlimited Qwen3-Coder calls at just 7.9 CNY (~$1.10) first month.
How to Get Started
- Sign up at Alibaba Cloud International
- Verify with phone number (no credit card needed)
- Claim 70M tokens automatically
- Install Qwen Code:
npx @qwen-code/qwen-code@latest - Build with the OpenAI-compatible API
FAQ
Is Qwen Code really free with no token limits?
Yes. 2,000 daily runs in China, 1,000 internationally, no token consumption, 60 calls/min cap.
Can I use the free API commercially?
Yes, within Alibaba Cloud terms. 180-day free quota for new Model Studio users.
Do I need a credit card?
No. Phone verification only for free tier.
Disclaimer: Maintained by Lieke Cloud, authorized Alibaba Cloud channel partner. Terms may change. Verified August 2026.
Contact: lieke-promo@coze.email