Replicate free tier limits
Quick answer
The
Replicate API offers a free tier with usage limits that include a monthly compute time quota and rate limits on API calls. Free tier users can run models with some restrictions on concurrency and total compute, ideal for development and light usage. Check replicate.com/pricing for the latest free tier details.PREREQUISITES
Python 3.8+pip install replicateReplicate API token set as REPLICATE_API_TOKEN environment variable
Setup
Install the official replicate Python package and set your API token as an environment variable.
pip install replicate output
Collecting replicate Downloading replicate-0.10.0-py3-none-any.whl (20 kB) Installing collected packages: replicate Successfully installed replicate-0.10.0
Step by step
Use the replicate Python client to run a model within the free tier limits. This example runs the meta/meta-llama-3-8b-instruct model with a prompt.
import os
import replicate
# Ensure your API token is set in the environment
# export REPLICATE_API_TOKEN="your_token_here"
client = replicate.Client()
output = client.run(
"meta/meta-llama-3-8b-instruct",
input={"prompt": "Hello, how are you?", "max_tokens": 50}
)
print("Model output:", output) output
Model output: Hello! I'm doing well, thank you. How can I assist you today?
Common variations
You can run other models or use asynchronous calls with replicate. The free tier applies across all models and usage combined.
import asyncio
import os
import replicate
async def async_run():
client = replicate.Client()
output = await client.async_run(
"stability-ai/stable-diffusion",
input={"prompt": "A futuristic cityscape at sunset"}
)
print("Async model output URL:", output)
asyncio.run(async_run()) output
Async model output URL: https://replicate.delivery/abcd1234.png
Troubleshooting
- If you exceed free tier limits, you may receive rate limit or quota errors. Upgrade your plan or reduce usage.
- Ensure
REPLICATE_API_TOKENis correctly set to avoid authentication errors. - Check
replicate.com/pricingfor updated limits and policies.
Key Takeaways
- Replicate offers a free tier with monthly compute time and rate limits suitable for development.
- Use the official
replicatePython client with your API token set inREPLICATE_API_TOKEN. - Free tier limits apply across all models and usage combined, so monitor your usage to avoid interruptions.