OpenClaude

Free Claude / Free Claude Code — use Claude Code and Claude Desktop with any AI provider.
Pick a provider, paste your key, click apply. No config files, no terminal tricks.

Run Claude Code for free with OpenAI, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, GLM, Kimi, Qwen, OpenRouter, Groq, NVIDIA NIM, GitHub Copilot, and 18+ providers.

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What it does

OpenClaude is a desktop app that configures Claude Code and Claude Desktop to talk to the AI provider of your choice instead of Anthropic’s API. It handles protocol translation, model filtering, and backup automatically.

• Claude Code — writes provider environment variables into ~/.claude/settings.json
• Claude Desktop — configures the built-in Gateway mode with your provider endpoint
• Protocol translation — OpenAI-protocol providers (Groq, Together, etc.) route through a local proxy that translates to Anthropic’s format and back
• Model name routing — shows real model names in Claude Desktop’s model picker by working around its Claude-only validation
• Auto-detection — scans your system for Claude installations on startup

Requirements: Claude Desktop or Claude Code must be installed. OpenClaude configures them — it does not replace them.

Download

Platform	Download
macOS Apple Silicon	OpenClaude-0.2.7-arm64.dmg
macOS Intel	OpenClaude-0.2.7-x64.dmg
Windows x64	OpenClaude-Setup-0.2.7-x64.exe
Windows 32-bit	OpenClaude-Setup-0.2.7-ia32.exe
Linux x64	.AppImage or .deb
Linux ARM64	-arm64.AppImage or _arm64.deb

All downloads →

Why the warning? Apple requires a paid developer certificate ($99/year) to remove the Gatekeeper warning. Microsoft requires an EV code signing certificate ($300-500/year) for SmartScreen. These fees are not practical for an open-source project — the source code is public and auditable. The app is safe: it never sends your data anywhere except the provider you choose. See Troubleshooting for workarounds.

Quick start

1. Pick a provider from the 18 presets, or enter a custom URL
2. Paste your API key and click Load models
3. Pick models for main and fast tasks
4. Click Apply for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, or both

Switch back to official Anthropic anytime — one click on Reset.

Troubleshooting

“Provider default” instead of my model?

Load models first (Step 2). If the models endpoint returns nothing, pick a model from the dropdown manually.

Claude Desktop shows a blank model picker?

Keep OpenClaude running in the background (tray icon). The proxy handles protocol translation for non-Claude models.

macOS says “unidentified developer”?

Option A: Right-click the app → Open.
Option B: Run this command in Terminal:

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/OpenClaude.app

Windows SmartScreen warning?

Click “More info” → “Run anyway”. The builds are unsigned.

Where are my API keys stored?

Only in ~/.claude/settings.json on your machine. Never sent anywhere except your chosen provider.

I need to restore Claude Code’s settings?

A timestamped backup is created before every change. Look in ~/.claude/settings.json.openclaude-backup-*.

Providers

OpenRouter · OpenAI · Anthropic · Google Gemini · GitHub Copilot · xAI Grok · DeepSeek · Mistral AI · Groq · Together AI · Fireworks AI · Cerebras · Perplexity · Z.AI · NVIDIA NIM · OpenCode Go · OpenCode Zen · Custom

Develop

git clone https://github.com/Superior-curtis/OpenClaude.git
cd OpenClaude
npm install
npm start

Build installers:

npm run dist:mac      # DMG + ZIP (Intel + Apple Silicon)
npm run dist:win      # NSIS installer (x64 + ia32)
npm run dist:linux    # AppImage + deb (x64 + ARM64)

CI builds run on every tag push via GitHub Actions across macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Safety

• API keys stay on your machine — written only to ~/.claude/settings.json
• Keys are sent only to the provider endpoint you select
• A timestamped backup is created before every settings change
• Reset removes only the keys OpenClaude manages — your other settings stay intact
• The proxy listens on 127.0.0.1 — not reachable from your network
• No telemetry, no analytics, no network calls except to your chosen provider

How it works (under the hood)

• Pure logic is unit-tested — model routing and Anthropic↔OpenAI translation live in src/translate.js with a node --test suite that runs in CI before every build.
• Settings persist — your provider, model choices, and API keys (encrypted with the OS keychain via Electron safeStorage) are saved, so you never re-paste a key or re-pick a model.
• Config profiles — save provider+model combos and switch between them from the app or the menu-bar icon.
• Proxy log — see exactly which requests were forwarded, the real model used, status, and latency.

License

MIT — Built by Curtis

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