DyadAI Models
Setting up AI models and picking the right ones
Dyad lets you choose your favorite AI model from the top AI providers.
Auto
You might have noticed that the default model is simply called auto. This means Dyad will pick the most suitable or available model depending on which AI providers you've set up. If you're just getting started, it's a good choice—but you can always switch to a specific model.
AI Providers
Google Gemini
Dyad recommends using Google Gemini because it has a generous free tier when you create an API key. But there are plenty of other options if you want something else.
Keep in mind with the free tier, Google reserves the right to use your data for training.
OpenRouter
OpenRouter is an AI provider aggregator which means that with a single API key you can access (almost) any AI model publicly available. OpenRouter also provides free access to models like DeepSeek v3.
Because OpenRouter aggregates many AI providers, you’ll need to check the data handling policy for each specific model (e.g., can they use your data for training?). Typically, free model access comes with the condition that providers may use your data for training.
Anthropic
Anthropic is known for developing strong models for coding. However, their models are relatively pricey, and their API doesn't offer a free tier.
OpenAI
OpenAI provides a wide range of models that are typically more affordable than Anthropic's model while delivering comparable performance. Some OpenAI models like GPT 4.1 mini has a generous free tier, but most of them cost money.
Local models
You can also use local models running on your computer. Please see the Local Models guide.
Picking the right model
A common question is: "Which model should I use?" If you're not sure, I recommend sticking with Auto and then switching to different models if you get stuck (e.g. a bad result with the auto model). No one model is the best for all coding tasks so there's value in trying multiple models.
If you're looking for the best AI models for creating web apps, check out the WebDev Arena Leaderboard which is a crowd-sourced leaderboard where users generate web apps with two models side-by-side (blindfolded).
More
Is there another model that you want to use that's not on the list? Feel free to file a feature request on GitHub or post on our sub-reddit.