Use GLM-5.3 for free through a relay API (OpenAI-compatible)

GLM-5.3 is a solid, cheap model, and some free relay stations expose it with signup credit — no card needed. It's OpenAI-compatible, so any OpenAI-style client works.

Point your client at the relay:

export OPENAI_BASE_URL="https://<station>/v1"
export OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-****your-key****"
# model: glm-5.3

Or in Codex (~/.codex/config.toml):

model = "glm-5.3"
model_provider = "relay"
[model_providers.relay]
base_url = "https://<station>/v1"
env_key = "RELAY_API_KEY"
wire_api = "chat"

Notes:

• OpenAI-compatible endpoint ends with /v1.
• Copy the exact model id from the station's list.
• Keep the key in an env var, not in the file.

Several free stations carry GLM-5.3 alongside Claude and Grok models — register a few and switch as needed. List with tested dates: AI relay station list

Signup links carry my referral param; strip ?aff= if you prefer.