NVIDIA: Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) — Free AI Model & API

Verified
openrouter/nvidia-nemotron-nano-12b-v2-vl
chat reasoning
Get API key →
Context Window 128K
Max Output 128K
Rate Limit See provider page
Cost $0.00 FREE
Free Period Since Oct 28, 2025
Credit Card Not required
Status Online

Overview

NVIDIA Nemotron Nano 12B V2 VL is a 12B-parameter multimodal reasoning model available free on OpenRouter. Uses a hybrid Transformer-Mamba architecture for better throughput and lower latency. Handles text and multi-image document inputs with 128K context. Optimized for optical character recognition (OCR), chart reasoning, and multimodal comprehension. Supports long-form video via Efficient Video Sampling (EVS). Achieves ~74 average across MMMU, MathVista, AI2D, OCRBench, ChartQA, DocVQA, and Video-MME. Open-weights under NVIDIA license. Also available on NVIDIA NIM. OpenAI-compatible. Free tier: 200 RPD.

Model ID
nvidia/nemotron-nano-12b-v2-vl:free
Base URL
https://openrouter.ai/api/v1
Specifications
Context: 128K · Output: 128K · Modality: text, image · OpenAI Compat: Yes ·Released: Oct 28, 2025

Quick Start

Integrate NVIDIA: Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) with 3 lines of code. See the config generator for Claude Code, Cursor, and more.

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
 base_url="https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
 api_key="YOUR_API_KEY"
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
 model="nvidia/nemotron-nano-12b-v2-vl:free",
 messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)
import OpenAI from "openai";

const openai = new OpenAI({
 baseURL: "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
 apiKey: "YOUR_API_KEY",
});

const completion = await openai.chat.completions.create({
 model: "nvidia/nemotron-nano-12b-v2-vl:free",
 messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Hello!" }],
});

console.log(completion.choices[0].message.content);
curl https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/chat/completions \
 -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
 -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
 -d '{
 "model": "nvidia/nemotron-nano-12b-v2-vl:free",
 "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
 }'

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Rate Limits & Constraints

Rate Limit See provider page
Context Window 128K
Max Output Tokens 128K
Cost Free — since Oct 28, 2025
Credit Card Not required
OpenAI Compatible Yes — drop-in replacement

OpenRouter Platform Limitations

  • 200 RPD on free tier (1,000 with $10 lifetime credit)
  • Free models may change without notice
  • Some free models have shorter context windows than paid variants

Features & Use Cases

Best For

ChatReasoning

Modality Support

textimage

OpenRouter Highlights

  • 35+ permanently free models
  • OpenAI-compatible endpoint
  • 200 RPD free, 1,000 RPD with $10 lifetime credit
  • One key for 300+ models

Playground — Test NVIDIA: Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)

Test NVIDIA: Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) directly in your browser. Your API key is sent directly to OpenRouter — never stored.

Model: NVIDIA: Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) Get Key

🔒 Your key is never stored — sent directly to the model provider via our server proxy.

Ready to chat with NVIDIA: Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get an API key for NVIDIA: Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)?

Sign up at OpenRouter to get your API key. No credit card is required — just an email sign-up. Once you have the key, use the code snippets in the Quick Start section above.

Is NVIDIA: Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) really free?

Yes. NVIDIA: Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free) is available on OpenRouter's free tier and has been free since Oct 28, 2025. Rate limits apply: See provider page. Always check the provider's terms for any changes to the free tier.

What are NVIDIA: Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)'s rate limits?

See provider page Context window: 128K. Max output: 128K. No credit card required.

What are the best free alternatives to NVIDIA: Nemotron Nano 12B 2 VL (free)?

Popular free alternatives include inclusionAI: Ring-2.6-1T, Baidu Qianfan: CoBuddy (free), Owl Alpha. You can also browse all 147+ free models on our site.

More questions? See our full FAQ →

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