How does VibeFree make AI free?
VibeFree is funded entirely by advertising, not subscriptions. Short sponsored cards appear in the chat loading screen and alongside AI responses; that ad revenue pays for the AI usage behind every conversation, so chatting and coding stay free with no bill to you, ever.
This page is the mechanism: who is paid, in what order, and what leaves your device when. For whether VibeFree costs anything at all, see is VibeFree really free?; for how ad funding compares with subscriptions, credits and metered APIs, see a no-subscription LLM.
- Two funding paths exist depending on which model you use: the default DeepSeek model is funded by ads VibeFree sells directly, and then by an external ad network when those run out; the gpt-oss-20b model runs on VibeFree's own house ads and a free daily token allowance. On this website a gpt-oss-20b turn still asks the external networks on DeepSeek's behalf if you have consented; in the VS Code extension, the desktop app and the mobile app it does not.
- There are three external networks, asked in this order of priority when VibeFree's own campaigns have run out: Thrads Corp, added on 8 September 2026; Koah Labs, added on 24 September 2026; and Adgentek, LLC, added on 4 September 2026 in place of the network used before. They are separate companies under separate agreements, all three are asked at once for every message, and every ad that comes back is shown in that order. Adgentek handles what it is sent on VibeFree's instructions and only to choose an ad; Thrads Corp and Koah Labs have no contract with VibeFree that says so.
- If you consent, the conversation - your messages and the assistant's replies - is sent to Adgentek and Thrads Corp so the ad that comes back is relevant, along with a random session id; Koah Labs is sent only the message you just wrote. Adgentek uses OpenAI, Anthropic or Google to do the matching, so your conversation reaches one of them too. Your name, email, payment details and files are not sent.
- Thrads Corp is contacted by VibeFree's own servers, not your browser, so it runs no code on your device and sets no cookies. It does receive your IP address and your browser and device type, which it requires from any publisher calling it from a server.
- Adgentek runs its own code in your browser. Since 17 September 2026 this website loads Adgentek's script into the page from adgentek.ai once you have consented, and your browser sends it the recent messages of your chat directly - which is how it learns your IP address and browser. Its server can set a cookie named uid on adgentek.ai, lasting about 90 days: the one advertising cookie on this site. While its ad is on screen your browser also loads the advertiser's tracking pixels. VibeFree draws the ad itself and hands the script a random session id that lives only as long as the page is open, so the script stores none of its own.
- Koah Labs also runs its own code in your browser. Since 24 September 2026 this website loads Koah's script from koah.ai once you have consented; your browser sends it the message you just wrote and the first message of that chat, which is how it learns your IP address and browser, and the script draws the ad into the page itself. It can store data on your device.
- There is no data processing agreement with Thrads Corp or with Koah Labs, and if you consent they are sent your conversation or message anyway. Thrads Corp's agreement promises only to enter one "if required", and there is none with Koah Labs, so unlike Adgentek there are no contractual data protection terms, standard contractual clauses or UK transfer agreement behind either. One has been asked of Thrads Corp.
- You choose whether to allow externally-funded ads via the consent banner; declining means you only see ads VibeFree sells directly, and costs you no model or feature. The Cookie Policy sets out every detail of what is sent and how to withdraw consent.
- Advertisers bid for ad slots the same way anyone can - see the Advertisers page.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I decline the ad-consent banner?
Your account, your data, and every other feature are unaffected - declining costs you no model and no feature. It means we ask no external ad network for anything, neither Adgentek's nor Koah Labs' script is ever loaded into the page, and you only see ads VibeFree sells directly. The practical effect is that when VibeFree's own campaigns run out, you move to the gpt-oss-20b model and your free daily tokens sooner than you otherwise would. The external networks are Adgentek, LLC, Thrads Corp and Koah Labs, and consenting means the conversation itself is sent to them - so declining is the option to take if you would rather an advertising company did not read your chats.
Which external ad networks does VibeFree use?
Three, under separate agreements: Adgentek, LLC, added on 4 September 2026 in place of the network used before; Thrads Corp, added beside it on 8 September 2026; and Koah Labs, added on 24 September 2026. The web app asks all three for every message you send, once you have consented.
Do the ad networks set cookies or run code in my browser?
Adgentek does both on this website. Since 17 September 2026 its own script is loaded into the page from adgentek.ai once you consent, your browser sends it the messages of your chat directly, and its server can set a cookie named uid on adgentek.ai lasting about 90 days - the one advertising cookie on this site. Koah Labs also runs its own script in the page, loaded from koah.ai: your browser sends it the message you just wrote and the first message of that chat, the script draws the ad itself, and it can store data on your device. Thrads Corp does neither: it is asked by VibeFree's own servers, which receive the ad as data, so it runs no code on your device and sets no cookies.
Is there a data processing agreement with every network?
With Adgentek, LLC, yes, with contractual data protection terms behind it. With Thrads Corp, no - their agreement promises only to enter one "if required", so there are no standard contractual clauses and no UK transfer agreement behind them, and if you consent the conversation is sent to them anyway. One has been asked for. With Koah Labs, also no, and if you consent your message and the first message of the chat are sent to them anyway. If that is a reason to refuse, refusing costs you nothing.
Can I advertise on VibeFree?
Yes - see the Advertisers page to learn how the bidding system works, or start a campaign directly.
Related pages
- Privacy and AI providers - Which provider processes your chat, and in which country.
- Agent permissions and security - What the coding agent asks you before it acts.
- The VS Code coding agent - What the extension does inside your editor.
- Or browse every VibeFree guide.