What it does
ANUS is an AI coding assistant you run in a terminal. It reads your code, edits files and runs commands. Instead of a paid plan, it uses the free tiers of AI services such as OpenRouter, Google Gemini, Groq and Mistral.
You add free keys from one or more of these services. It keeps a ranked list of free models and sends each request to the best one that's available. When one model hits its limit, the next one takes over.
The README warns that free tiers may use what you send to improve their models, so keep secrets out of the folder you work in.
Who it's for
Programmers who want an AI coding assistant without paying for one.
Can I use it without coding?
Developers only. It needs Node.js and is used from the terminal. New to this? Start here.
Can I run it?
- Cost
- Free, but needs an AI accountThe software is free, but it uses an online AI service (like OpenAI or Anthropic), which usually charges for use.
- Computer
- An ordinary computer is fine
- Privacy
- Sends what you give it to an online service
- API key
- Needed. An API key is a password-like code from an online AI service. What's that?
Try it
Using Claude Code, Cursor or another AI coding assistant? Paste the prompt and it will walk you through the setup.New to this?
Before you install
- Only download from the official GitHub page. Copies with similar names exist for many popular projects.
- License (MIT): Very permissive: free to use, change and share, including for business.
- Keep your API key private. Never paste it into websites or share it, and set a spending limit with the AI service.
- What you type or upload is sent to an online service. Avoid sharing private or sensitive information.
- More on staying safe