What is currently documented
- Ox Alpha appeared on OpenRouter on August 20, 2026 under the model ID stealth/ox-alpha, listed as a reasoning model for coding, sustained agentic work and production workloads. The listing documents a 1,048,576-token context window, up to 131,072 output tokens, text, image and video input, and tool calling with JSON output (without JSON-schema enforcement).
- During the preview, prompt and completion pricing are documented at zero on OpenRouter, and the same model is listed free ($0.00/1M) on Nous Portal. The operator is described as anonymous under the provider label Stealth; OpenRouter states it only routes requests and is not the model's developer, owner or provider.
Where and how to request a key
- Two practical paths exist today. On OpenRouter, use the model ID stealth/ox-alpha with an OpenRouter key; the free-tier route does not require a card. On Nous Portal, sign in with a Nous account and select the Ox Alpha entry. FreeToken has cataloged both paths on the Ox Alpha model page, including the direct application link for each platform.
- OpenCode Zen lists the same model under x-preview-f-free, which can be convenient for agent-harness users, but retention and limit terms differ per route. Check the terms at the exact route you choose instead of assuming they match.
What to verify before building on it
- Free access during the preview is temporary. Community reports describe roughly a one-week window from the August 20 debut, so any integration should include a recheck trigger before it becomes a dependency.
- The operator is anonymous and unconfirmed. Community tokenizer fingerprinting suggests a GLM-family model, but no lab has claimed it. OpenRouter's listing states the anonymous provider retains prompts and completions during the preview, while committing not to use them for training; that is narrower than a zero-retention promise, so avoid sending secrets or regulated data.
- Benchmark claims conflict. An independent 10-task DeepSWE run reported about 80%, while a separate private evaluation rated the model near older generations. Treat both as preliminary signals rather than verified leaderboard results.
What to do next
- Open the FreeToken catalog entry for Ox Alpha, compare the OpenRouter and Nous Portal access paths side by side, and use the key guide for the route you choose before spending time on configuration.
- Run a bounded test of the behaviors your application needs — tool calling, JSON output, long context, multimodal input — before any production use, and follow the model in your Watchlist so you are notified when the preview window or access terms change.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ox Alpha an official release?
No. It is an anonymous preview. No lab has publicly claimed the model and no weights have been released.
Is the model really free?
Prompt and completion pricing are documented at zero during the preview on OpenRouter and Nous Portal, but the window is temporary and terms can change without notice.
Should I send production or personal data to it?
Not without checking the retention terms of the route you use. OpenRouter states the anonymous provider retains prompts and completions during the preview, but does not train on them.
AI assistance is disclosed; every factual claim was reviewed.
FreeToken wrote this article from the linked public listings and preview documentation, cross-checked on August 24, 2026. The model operator is anonymous, the free window is temporary, and conflicting community benchmarks are reported as preliminary signals rather than verified results. FreeToken's directory entry and evidence badges remain separate from this news analysis.