A month ago I wrote about the free models inside OpenCode, and the post took off in a way nothing else on this site has. It drives about 60 percent of the search impressions this site gets, and it is the only post that has earned a click from Google so far. The top query is not the one I expected. People keep searching for DeepSeek v4.1 Flash versus Space Bunny, and for free models in OpenCode generally.
So here is the update. The free model lineup inside OpenCode keeps changing, and this post is about how to judge the free models yourself, because any ranking I write today will be stale by next month.
What we cover
- What the original post found
- Why the free lineup keeps changing
- DeepSeek v4.1 Flash vs Space Bunny, one month later
- How to judge a free model yourself
- What I actually use now
What the original post found
The original post is here: OpenCode's Free Models, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash and the Space Bunny Question. The short version is that OpenCode ships with free models you can use without an API key, and the interesting question was never which one is free. It was which one is actually good enough to do real work.
DeepSeek v4.1 Flash was the workhorse. Space Bunny was the curiosity, a model with a memorable name and a real question behind it: is this a serious coding model or a novelty? The search queries landing on the post tell the same story. People are comparing the two directly, and they are searching for free models in OpenCode by name.
Why the free lineup keeps changing
Free models are a promotion, not a promise. Providers offer free access to get developers trying their models, and the lineup rotates as deals start and end. A model that is free this month can be paywalled next month, and a new name can show up with no announcement.
That is why I am not going to give you a ranked list and call it done. The list would be wrong within weeks. What lasts is the method for judging a free model, and that is the useful part of this update.
DeepSeek v4.1 Flash vs Space Bunny, one month later
DeepSeek v4.1 Flash is still the safe default. It is fast, it follows instructions well, and it handles a real codebase without falling apart on the second or third edit. If you just want a free model that works, start here.
Space Bunny is still the interesting one. The name gets the clicks, and the model behind it is genuinely capable for smaller tasks. Where it struggles is the same place every smaller model struggles: long sessions, big refactors, and keeping track of what changed three edits ago. For a quick function or a bug fix, it is fine. For a multi-file change, I reach for DeepSeek first.
One more name keeps showing up in the search queries: Big Pickle. People are searching for it against DeepSeek v4.1 Flash, which means it is on the free list and worth a look. I have not put it through a full session yet, so I am not ranking it. If you try it, the test below is how to judge it.
How to judge a free model yourself
Forget benchmarks. Run this instead, on your own code:
- Ask it to fix a real bug you already understand. Check whether the fix is right and whether it touched only what it should.
- Ask it to add a small feature across two files. Check whether it kept the two files consistent.
- Come back to the same conversation after a break and ask it to change its earlier decision. Check whether it remembers why it made that decision.
A model that passes all three is a model you can trust with real work. A model that passes only the first one is a model for quick questions, not for building.
What I actually use now
My daily setup has not changed much: OpenCode with a rotation of models, DeepSeek v4.1 Flash as the free default, and paid models when the task deserves them. The free tier is for trying things and for small jobs. The moment a task matters, the cost of a paid model is smaller than the cost of a bad edit.
That is the honest rule. Free is great for learning what a model can do. It is a bad reason to pick a model for work that counts.
Final thoughts
The free models in OpenCode are worth your time, and DeepSeek v4.1 Flash is still the one to beat. But the lineup will keep rotating, so learn the test, not the list.
The short version: DeepSeek v4.1 Flash is still the free default, Space Bunny is good for small jobs, and the three-step test above is how you judge any free model that shows up next.
