Quen's New Free Plan Makes AI Coding Affordable for Everyone

High-end AI coding assistants can be costly. With Claude code at $100 a month and Cursor Pro also carrying a significant price tag, these powerful tools are not accessible to everyone. However, Quen has just introduced a game-changing solution. They recently launched a model that rivals the performance of Claude for Sonnet and, using that model, have made an announcement that brings AI-powered coding into reach for every developer.

In this article, we'll explore this new offering and show you how to leverage the new Quen model with one of the best coding agents available. If you're currently on a limited plan or can't afford one at all, this guide is for you.

Introducing Quen Code

Before diving into the announcement, let's get familiar with Quen Code. Alongside their new model, Quen launched a terminal-based coder. You can find it on its GitHub repository, and installation is incredibly straightforward.

Installation in Just a Few Steps

Quen provides multiple installation options, including from the source, but using npm is the simplest method.

  1. Copy the installation command: bash npm install -g @quen/code-cli
  2. Paste it into your terminal to install Quen Code globally on your system.
  3. Once finished, you can verify the installation with the following command: bash qcode --version

After installation, you can fire it up just like you would with Claude Code. You'll be greeted with a startup screen, but first, you need to sign in.

The Big Announcement: 2,000 Free Daily Runs

This is where it gets exciting. On August 8th, Quen revealed a remarkably generous offer: 2,000 free Quen code runs every single day.

Here’s how you can claim them: 1. When prompted with the sign-in screen in your terminal, choose the "OAuth with Quen" option. 2. This will redirect you to your web browser to complete the sign-in process. 3. After authenticating, you will be automatically logged back into the terminal.

That's it. You now have access to 2,000 free runs per day.

A Quick Tour of Quen Code

For those seeing Quen Code for the first time, the interface is quite similar to Claude Code. It's built on top of the Gemini CLI, using it as a base version. While Quen claims to have made improvements, the core functionality remains largely the same. For instance, adding an MCP server follows the exact same process as in the Gemini CLI.

It seems the underlying agent and most of its commands haven't been significantly altered. This is interesting because the original Gemini CLI had some issues, such as getting stuck in loops and encountering various small errors. It remains to be seen how this version performs. The options are simple and familiar to anyone who has used similar tools. They haven't even changed the name of the context file these agents use; just as Claude has claude.md, this tool uses the default gemini.md file.

In terms of features, Claude Code still has the upper hand with capabilities like hooks, custom commands, and sub-agents. Nonetheless, the value of Quen Code lies in the powerful model it uses.

Is the Quen 3 Coder Model Worth It?

The main reason these 2,000 daily runs are so valuable is the underlying Quen 3 Coder model. Released in July, this model is exceptionally capable. Its performance is on par with Claude Sonnet 4, as seen on benchmarks like the LM Arena. Having access to 2,000 free daily runs of a model this powerful is an outstanding offer.

While users on premium plans like Claude Code Max might not be swayed, this is fantastic news for developers on more restrictive plans or those without a subscription at all.

Putting Quen Code to the Test: A Head-to-Head Challenge

To see how it stacks up, I tested both Claude Code and Quen Code with a practical task using Daisy UI, a component library known for its excellent designs.

The Setup: First, I connected the Context 7 MCP server to both agents. This server gives the AI access to external documentation, preventing it from being limited to its training data. After connecting the MCP, I asked both agents to pull information about Daisy UI, which they successfully did.

The Prompt: I then gave both agents the same prompt: build a mobile app prototype for a music player, similar to those found on the app store, using Daisy UI. Since Daisy UI is not a library that these LLMs have been extensively trained on, I instructed them to use the Context 7 MCP for guidance.

The Results: - Claude Code produced a simple, functional, and colorful interface using Daisy UI, complete with a small animation. The result was quite impressive. - Quen Code took a different approach, creating only the main player view of the music app instead of two separate interfaces. The output was still good, though less complete.

I then tried to refine the app by providing a more detailed workflow. The results were mixed. - Claude Code struggled to implement the new UI layout correctly, likely due to its limited training on Daisy UI compared to more common libraries like ShadCN or plain HTML. - Quen Code maintained its previous design and integrated the new flow, successfully following the layout but failing to implement it perfectly with Daisy UI components.

The Ultimate Hack: Combine Quen's Free Model with a Superior Agent

While Quen Code's agent has some limitations, its model is top-tier. What if you could use Quen's free requests with the more advanced agent from Claude Code? You can.

More Free Options

Quen offers several ways to access its model for free: - Quen OAuth: 2,000 requests/day with no token limits. - ModelScope: For users in mainland China, this offers 2,000 free API calls per day. - Open Router: Internationally, this provider offers up to 1,000 free API calls per day for the Quen 3 Coder model.

Introducing Claude Code Router

A fantastic tool called Claude Code Router allows you to use almost any model provider with the Claude Code agent via an API. This means you aren't limited to Claude's models. The list of supported providers is extensive, including Open Router, DeepSeek, local Llama models, Gemini, and more.

Setup is simple: 1. Ensure Claude Code is installed. 2. Install Claude Code Router with this command: bash npm install -g claude-code-router 3. Next, you need to create a configuration file. You can use the UI mode for an easier setup by running: bash ccr --ui 4. This opens a user-friendly panel where you can add a provider. Select a template (e.g., Open Router), go to the Open Router website, copy the Quen 3 Coder model name, and paste it into the panel. Add your API key, and you're all set. 5. Finally, run the agent with this command: bash ccr code

The agent will now run using the Quen Coder model, giving you around 1,000 free, high-quality requests per day within the superior Claude Code environment. This combination offers the best of both worlds: a powerful, free model and a feature-rich coding agent.