OpenCode Free Tier Limit Fixes 2.0 : Comprehensive Solutions for OpenCode Bug Free Tier and Free Usage Limit Reached Errors [FIXED 2026]

Wan Mohd Azizi @ctaxnagomi
Applied Agentic AI Engineer | UAEL | CTECX | DeckerGUI Agentic Integration Hybrid Ecosystem | KD Ambassador Sarawak

October 31, 2026

Abstract

This article extends the OpenCode free tier limit fixes with a focused workaround for a common scenario: two devices on the same network (for example, one work account and one personal account) that share a single public IP. Because OpenCode's free tier is enforced by an SDK-gated proxy that prioritizes IP and client-origin restrictions over strict per-account quotas, two accounts on the same IP can be treated as a single source and hit the limit after only 1-3 prompts. This paper documents the root cause, the per-account vs per-IP behavior, and a practical workaround method to keep both devices usable. Contributor: ctaxnagomi.

Keywords: OpenCode free tier limit fixes, opencode bug free tier, free usage limit reached, two devices same network, IP gated proxy, per account per IP, BYOK, OpenCode v2 update, ctaxnagomi

1. Problem Statement

Users running OpenCode on two devices that share one network (same public IP) often report that the free tier is exhausted after only 1-3 prompts, even though each account shows little or no usage. The block can appear on one device and immediately affect the other, and waiting for the stated reset time frequently does not restore access. This happens across v2 clients as well, which rules out the older v1-only incompatibility as the sole cause.

2. Root Cause: IP-Gated Proxy, Not Per-Account Quota

OpenCode's free-tier gateway behaves as an SDK-gated proxy that enforces IP and client-origin restrictions in addition to (and sometimes instead of) per-account quotas. Consequences:

• Requests from the same public IP are correlated, regardless of which account or device they come from.

• A flagged or shared IP can be blocked for all accounts on that network.

• The reset timestamp is tied to the IP/source, so creating a new session or switching free models does not clear it.

• Errors such as "Free usage limit reached" and "abusive traffic from this IP address" appear even on the first request of the day with zero Console usage.

In short: the free tier is effectively per-IP for blocking purposes, not strictly per-account.

3. Workaround Method for Two Devices on the Same Network

Step 1 - Upgrade both devices to OpenCode v2

Ensure both clients are on the latest v2 (2.x). v1 no longer supports free models and only receives critical fixes.

• Terminal: opencode --version

• If v1: npm uninstall -g opencode-ai then npm install -g @opencode/cli

• Desktop: download v2 manually from https://opencode.ai/v2/docs (the v1 updater stays on 1.x).

Step 2 - Disable free models on both devices

Set OPENCODE_DISABLE_FREE_MODELS=1 on each device so free models are hidden and neither device routes through the gated free gateway.

• Windows: setx OPENCODE_DISABLE_FREE_MODELS 1

• macOS/Linux: add export OPENCODE_DISABLE_FREE_MODELS=1 to your shell profile.

Step 3 - Use BYOK / external providers (recommended)

Connect each device to an external OpenAI-compatible provider (OpenRouter, Ollama Cloud, Gemini, Groq, etc.) via /connect or a local stack. Requests then bypass OpenCode's free-tier gateway entirely, removing the shared-IP problem.

Example configuration in ~/.config/opencode/opencode.jsonc:

{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "model": "ollama-cloud/gemma4:31b",
  "small_model": "ollama-cloud/gemma4:31b"
}

Step 4 - Separate the public IP for the second device

If you must use the free tier, avoid sharing one public IP:

• Put the second device on a different network (mobile hotspot, separate ISP line, or a different VPN exit node).

• Turn off shared proxies, captive portals, and intermediate gateways on both devices.

• Test each device on a clean connection before assuming a quota problem.

Step 5 - Network hygiene and cache cleanup

• Restart the OpenCode client (and the machine if needed) after changing networks.

• Clear cached credentials and re-authenticate (/connect) on each device with its own account.

• Run opencode debug config and opencode auth list to confirm no leftover plugins or provider entries point at the free zen endpoint.

Step 6 - If still blocked

• Check the Console for any reset timestamp that does appear.

• If the block persists on a clean, separate IP, email help@anoma.ly with the version, OS, model, exact error, reset time, and request IDs. Account/IP review can only be done by support.

4. Practical Recommendation for Two-Device Households

The most reliable long-term setup is to not depend on the free tier at all for multi-device use:

• Use BYOK on at least one device (external provider or local Ollama/LM Studio).

• Reserve the free tier for a single device on a clean, non-shared IP.

• Keep OPENCODE_DISABLE_FREE_MODELS=1 on devices that should never touch the free gateway.

5. Conclusion

The "1-3 prompts then blocked" behavior on two devices sharing one network is caused by IP/client-origin gating in OpenCode's free-tier proxy, not by per-account prompt counts. Applying the v2 upgrade, disabling free models, using BYOK, and separating public IPs (or using local models) removes the shared-IP conflict and restores reliable access. Contributor: ctaxnagomi.

References

1. KrackedDevs - OpenCode Free Tier Limit Fixes: Comprehensive Solutions for OpenCode Bug Free Tier and Free Usage Limit Reached Errors. https://krackeddevs.com/community/post/opencode-free-tier-limit-fixes-comprehensive-solutions-for-opencode-bug

2. OpenCode GitHub Issue #59387 - Free tier issues: read this first, then post your report here. https://github.com/anomalyco/opencode/issues/59387

3. OpenCode V2 Documentation and Install Guide. https://opencode.ai/v2/docs

4. OpenCode Console Models Documentation. https://opencode.ai/v2/docs/console/models