Overview
A compact 1.7B-parameter text model with a 256K-token context, post-trained for agents, tool calling, and structured outputs. It reasons before it answers. Prompts and outputs may be retained and used...
Our take
LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B is designed for developers building agent-style workflows that require interaction with external tools. Its core capabilities include tool and function calling, alongside the ability to return structured JSON outputs, which aids reliable parsing in automated systems. Unlike broader AI assistants such as Claude or ChatGPT, this model focuses on these specific programmatic interactions rather than general conversational fluency. It also integrates built-in reasoning, or chain-of-thought, to address more complex problems within its 262,144-token context window. The model is text-only, meaning it does not process image inputs. Offered free via the OpenRouter API, it presents a cost-effective option for those needing its particular feature set. This tool is ideal for developers and researchers who require an AI model for backend automation, particularly where structured outputs and external tool integration are critical. It is less suited for users seeking a multi-modal, general-purpose conversational assistant.
How LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B stacks up
Among the 15 chatbots & llms tools in our directory, it ranks #13 of 15 on quality (7.8/10), 8% below the 15-tool average of 8.5, and its $0.08/1M input-token rate is in the budget end — 96% cheaper than the 10-model average of $1.99/1M.
Weighing quality against cost, LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B's cost-per-quality-point of $0.01 places it in the top 20% for value among chatbots & llms tools.
LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B in depth
LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B, built by Liquid AI, sits in the chatbots & llms space and is free to start, with paid plans from $0.08/1M tokens. Our editors rate it 7.8 out of 10 based on capability, ecosystem and value. It handles a context window of 262,144 tokens.
On the feature side, LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B brings 262,144-token context window, reasoning / chain-of-thought, tool / function calling and structured (json) outputs. These are the capabilities that most shape day-to-day use and separate it from thinner alternatives.
Its biggest strength is completely free to use via the openrouter api, while the main trade-off to weigh is that text-only: does not accept image input. Keep both in mind when deciding whether it fits your workflow.
LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B is most often chosen for research and writing. If that matches your goals, it's a strong candidate to shortlist.
Key features
- ✓262,144-token context window
- ✓Reasoning / chain-of-thought
- ✓Tool / function calling
- ✓Structured (JSON) outputs
Pricing
Pros
- +Completely free to use via the OpenRouter API
- +Built-in reasoning (chain-of-thought) mode for harder problems
- +Supports tool / function calling for agent-style workflows
- +Can return structured JSON output for reliable parsing
Cons
- −Text-only: does not accept image input
Who should use LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B
- →Anyone looking for a chatbots & llms tool from Liquid AI.
- →Teams and individuals focused on research and writing.
- →Users who want to try before they buy — there's a free tier.
- →People who value completely free to use via the openrouter api.
Who should look elsewhere
- →Those for whom text-only: does not accept image input is a dealbreaker.
Best for
10 Best LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B Alternatives in 2026
LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B is a strong chatbots & llms tool, but it is not the only option. Whether you are after a lower price, different features or a better fit for your workflow, here are the 10 best alternatives to LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B, ranked and compared.
Anthropic
Claude is Anthropic's family of AI assistants, known for long-context reasoning, careful writing and strong coding…
OpenAI
ChatGPT is OpenAI's flagship conversational AI, powering hundreds of millions of weekly users across web, mobile and…
Google DeepMind
Gemini is Google's natively multimodal model family, deeply integrated across Search, Workspace, Android and the Pixel…
DeepSeek
DeepSeek is a Chinese AI lab that stunned the industry with frontier-level reasoning models at a fraction of typical…
Perplexity AI
Perplexity is an AI answer engine that combines live web search with large language models to deliver cited, up-to-date…
Alibaba Cloud
Qwen is Alibaba's series of open-weight models spanning chat, coding, vision and math.
Mistral AI
Mistral AI is a European lab offering both open-weight and commercial models that punch well above their size.
xAI
Grok is xAI's assistant, tightly integrated with the X platform and trained with a distinctively candid, witty persona.
Meta
Llama is Meta's family of open-weight large language models that became the de-facto foundation for the open-source AI…
Cohere
Cohere's Command models are purpose-built for enterprise retrieval-augmented generation and agentic workflows.
LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B vs top alternatives
A side-by-side look at how LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B stacks up against its closest rivals.
| Feature | LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7BLiquid AI | ClaudeAnthropic | ChatGPTOpenAI | GeminiGoogle DeepMind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality score | 7.8 / 10 | 9.6 / 10 | 9.5 / 10 | 9.2 / 10 |
| Starting price | $0.08/1M tokens | $20/mo | $20/mo | $20/mo |
| Free tier | Yes — Free variant available | Yes — Free tier available | Yes — Free tier available | Yes — Free tier available |
| API input price | $0.08 / 1M tokens | $8 / 1M tokens | $1 / 1M tokens | $1.5 / 1M tokens |
| API output price | $0.2 / 1M tokens | $40 / 1M tokens | $5 / 1M tokens | $7.5 / 1M tokens |
| Speed | — | Fast | Fast | Fast |
| Context window | 262,144 tokens | 200K tokens | 128K tokens | 1M-2M tokens |
| Categories | Chatbots & LLMs | Chatbots & LLMs, Coding, Writing | Chatbots & LLMs, Coding, Writing | Chatbots & LLMs, Coding, Writing |
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Frequently asked questions
Q. Is LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B free?
Yes — LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B offers a free tier. Paid plans start at $0.08/1M tokens.
Q. How much does LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B cost?
LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B starts at $0.08/1M tokens. API usage is around $0.08 per 1M input tokens and $0.2 per 1M output tokens.
Q. What is LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B best for?
LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B is best suited to research and writing, within the chatbots & llms category.
Q. What are the best LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B alternatives?
Popular alternatives to LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B include Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and DeepSeek. Each trades off price, quality and ecosystem differently.
Q. Is there a free alternative to LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B?
Yes. Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini offer a free tier, making them good starting points if you want to avoid an upfront subscription.
Q. Why switch from LiquidAI: LFM3-1.7B?
Common reasons include pricing, specific feature gaps (Text-only: does not accept image input), data-privacy requirements, or simply wanting a tool that fits your stack better.
How we rate AI tools
Our quality score weighs capability on real tasks, breadth of features and integrations, pricing and value, and how actively the tool is maintained. Scores are editorial guidance, not benchmarks — always trial a tool on your own workflow before committing. Pricing and features change frequently, so verify current details on the official site.
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