> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.kiosapi.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Free Models and Telegram Verification

> Verify with the KiosAPI Telegram bot to unlock the free model group at zero cost.

# Free Models and Telegram Verification

KiosAPI offers a **Free** group with a set of models that cost nothing to use (group multiplier is 0). To keep this sustainable, access to the Free group is gated behind a one-time **Telegram verification** — you prove you are a real person by joining the official KiosAPI Telegram chat through the verification bot.

## Prerequisites

* A [KiosAPI](https://kiosapi.com) account
* A Telegram account
* An API key created in the **Free** group (see [Choosing a Token Group](/getting-started/token-groups.md))

## Step 1 — Create a Free-group API key

1. Go to **Console → Tokens** in the [dashboard](https://kiosapi.com).
2. Click **Add Token**.
3. Select the group **`Free`**.
4. Save and copy the key.

## Step 2 — Start Telegram verification

1. In the dashboard, open the verification panel (shown when you try to use a Free-group key, or via the account settings area).
2. Click **Verify via Telegram**. The dashboard shows a button/link to open the official verification bot: **[@kiosapi\_verif\_bot](https://t.me/kiosapi_verif_bot)**.
3. The bot opens in Telegram. Press **Start** (or send `/start`).
4. The bot sends you a **verification link**. Tap it — it joins you to the required KiosAPI Telegram chat and confirms back to the site.

> [!NOTE]
>
> The verification link is personal, expires in 10 minutes, and only works from the Telegram account that started the chat with the bot. If it expires, just start again from the dashboard.

## Step 3 — Complete verification

1. After the bot confirms, return to the KiosAPI dashboard.
2. Click **Complete verification** (the page refreshes your status automatically in most cases).
3. Your status shows **verified**, with the Telegram account you used.

## Step 4 — Use free models

Your Free-group key can now call the free models. Try one:

```bash theme={null}
curl https://kiosapi.com/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk-xxx" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "glm-5.3-flash-free",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
  }'
```

The current free model list (Agnes, Atria, GLM flash-free, gpt-oss-20b, and others) is on the [Models & Pricing](https://kiosapi.com/pricing) page — filter by the `Free` group.

## Rules and details

* Verification is per Telegram account and per KiosAPI account, and is re-checked periodically. If you leave the Telegram chat, free access stops working until you rejoin.
* Free models are shared capacity: expect rate limits and no SLA. For production workloads use a paid group.
* Zero-cost means the group multiplier is 0 — abnormal or abusive usage can still be restricted by the platform.

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Fix |
| - | - |
| "Verification required" error on a Free key | Complete the steps above — the key group is `Free` but your account is not verified |
| Bot link expired | Request a new link from the dashboard (links expire after 10 minutes) |
| Verified but still failing | Make sure you are still a member of the Telegram chat; re-check status in the dashboard |
| Different Telegram account than expected | Verification is bound to the Telegram account that pressed Start — redo it with the account you plan to keep |


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