# Nous Research (Nous Portal inference API)

An AI lab that trains the open-weight Hermes models and runs Nous Portal, an OpenAI-compatible inference API for its own Hermes 4 models and a catalog of other labs' models, with keys, credits and subscriptions, plus pay-per-request x402 payments in Solana USDC without an account.

- Category: Model APIs and gateways · by Nous Research, Inc.
- Website: https://nousresearch.com/
- Live data: no
- Checked on the official pages: 2026-10-24

## API

- Official API: yes, docs https://portal.nousresearch.com/api-docs
- Key needed: yes
- Price: Free tier; limits: Free: 50 RPM, 500,000 TPM; Plus 400 RPM; Super 800 RPM; Ultra 1,600 RPM; default paid users 180 RPM, 720,000 TPM
- Base URL: https://inference-api.nousresearch.com/v1
- Formats: json

Example request:

```
https://portal.nousresearch.com/api/openapi
```

## Price and code

- Free tier: Free: $0, free models only, standard rate limits, $0 monthly credits; pay-as-you-go top-ups and x402 per-request payments; paid from $20/month (https://portal.nousresearch.com/)

## Data and license

- Download: https://huggingface.co/NousResearch (safetensors)
- License: Nous Research Terms of Service (API); model weights under their own licenses (e.g. Llama 3 license, Apache-2.0) (https://portal.nousresearch.com/terms); covers Hosted inference API; you own AI outputs, but may not use the service to build a competing AI product
- Commercial use with conditions
- Credit: not stated
- Embedding unclear
- Quote (api_official): "An OpenAI-compatible API for running completion requests on Nous Research's inference backend." (https://portal.nousresearch.com/api/openapi)
- Quote (base_url): "The API is available at [https://inference-api.nousresearch.com/v1](https://inference-api.nousresearch.com/v1)." (https://portal.nousresearch.com/api/openapi)
- Quote (api_key): "Set the API key as a bearer token in the `Authorization` header in your requests." (https://portal.nousresearch.com/api/openapi)
- Quote (x402): "The API supports payment via the [x402 protocol](https://www.x402.org/) using Solana USDC." (https://portal.nousresearch.com/api/openapi)
- Quote (limits): "- **Free**: 50 RPM, 500,000 TPM" (https://portal.nousresearch.com/api/openapi)
- Quote (limits_paid): "- **Default paid users**: 180 RPM, 720,000 TPM" (https://portal.nousresearch.com/api/openapi)
- Quote (models): "- `Hermes-4-405B` (128k context)" (https://portal.nousresearch.com/api/openapi)
- Quote (free_tier): "Free $0 Free models only Standard rate limits $0 monthly credits" (https://portal.nousresearch.com/)
- Quote (paid_from): "Plus 10% bonus $20 per month $22 monthly credits $10 rollover cap" (https://portal.nousresearch.com/)
- Quote (commercial): "you shall own all right, title, and interest in AI Outputs generated specifically for you through your use of the Nous Research Services" (https://portal.nousresearch.com/terms)
- Quote (commercial_limit): "use the Nous Research Services to develop or improve any competing artificial intelligence or machine learning product or service" (https://portal.nousresearch.com/terms)
- Quote (maker): "You are contracting with Nous Research, Inc. a Delaware corporation." (https://portal.nousresearch.com/terms)
- Quote (download): "[OpenAPI specification](https://portal.nousresearch.com/api/openapi): OpenAI-compatible inference API spec (JSON)" (https://portal.nousresearch.com/llms.txt)

## Rules for an agent

- Use any OpenAI client with base_url https://inference-api.nousresearch.com/v1 and a Portal API key as Bearer token; model ids like Hermes-4-70B; for Hermes 4 reasoning use the documented system prompt and read reasoning_content; set max_tokens explicitly when paying via x402.
- Do not use the API to build or improve a competing AI model or service
- Downloaded Hermes weights follow each model's own license (Llama 3 license for Hermes-4-70B/405B, Apache-2.0 for Hermes-4.3-36B)
- With x402, you are charged for max_tokens whether or not they are used

## Agent access

- llms.txt: https://portal.nousresearch.com/llms.txt

Human page: https://agentgid.com/resources/nous-research/
Source: AgentGid (agentgid.com). Facts are quoted from the site's own pages; check the license page before you ship.