feat: add prominent Free Trial section to README with setup guide

- Created comprehensive FREE_TRIAL_SETUP.md with step-by-step instructions
- Added Free Trial section at the top of README for better visibility
- Included setup guides for OpenRouter, Google Gemini, and Groq
- Provided provider comparison table with free credits information
- Added troubleshooting section and helpful tips

Fixes #8856

Author: roomote

FREE_TRIAL_SETUP.md

@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+# 🚀 Free Trial Setup Guide
+
+Get started with Roo Code in minutes using free AI provider trials! No credit card required for initial setup.
+
+## Quick Start Options
+
+### Option 1: OpenRouter (Recommended - Easiest Setup)
+
+OpenRouter offers **$1 in free credits** upon signup - enough for hundreds of interactions!
+
+1. **Sign up** at [openrouter.ai](https://openrouter.ai/auth/signup)
+2. **Get your API key** from [openrouter.ai/keys](https://openrouter.ai/keys)
+3. **Configure in Roo Code**:
+    - Open VS Code Command Palette (`Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P`)
+    - Type "Roo Code: Open Settings"
+    - Select "OpenRouter" as your provider
+    - Paste your API key
+    - Choose a model (we recommend `claude-3.5-sonnet` for best results)
+
+### Option 2: Google Gemini (Most Generous Free Tier)
+
+Google offers **free usage** of Gemini 1.5 Flash with generous rate limits.
+
+1. **Get API key** at [aistudio.google.com](https://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey)
+    - Sign in with your Google account
+    - Click "Get API Key"
+    - Create a new API key
+2. **Configure in Roo Code**:
+    - Open VS Code Command Palette (`Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P`)
+    - Type "Roo Code: Open Settings"
+    - Select "Google Gemini" as your provider
+    - Paste your API key
+    - Select `gemini-1.5-flash` (free tier)
+
+### Option 3: Groq (Fastest Responses)
+
+Groq provides **free tier access** with extremely fast inference speeds.
+
+1. **Sign up** at [console.groq.com](https://console.groq.com/signup)
+2. **Create API key** at [console.groq.com/keys](https://console.groq.com/keys)
+3. **Configure in Roo Code**:
+    - Open VS Code Command Palette (`Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P`)
+    - Type "Roo Code: Open Settings"
+    - Select "Groq" as your provider
+    - Paste your API key
+    - Choose `llama-3.1-70b` for best performance
+
+## Provider Comparison
+
+| Provider          | Free Credits           | Best For              | Setup Difficulty |
+| ----------------- | ---------------------- | --------------------- | ---------------- |
+| **OpenRouter**    | $1 free credits        | Trying premium models | ⭐ Easiest       |
+| **Google Gemini** | Generous free tier     | Extended usage        | ⭐⭐ Easy        |
+| **Groq**          | Free tier              | Fast responses        | ⭐⭐ Easy        |
+| **Anthropic**     | $5 free (with phone)   | Claude models         | ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate  |
+| **OpenAI**        | $5 free (new accounts) | GPT models            | ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate  |
+
+## Configuration Tips
+
+### Setting Up Your First Model
+
+1. After adding your API key, Roo Code will show available models
+2. For best results, we recommend:
+    - **Code generation**: Claude 3.5 Sonnet or GPT-4
+    - **Quick tasks**: Gemini 1.5 Flash or Llama 3.1
+    - **Budget-conscious**: Gemini Flash (free) or Claude Haiku
+
+### Switching Between Providers
+
+You can easily switch providers or use multiple providers:
+
+1. Open Roo Code settings
+2. Click "Add Provider" to configure additional providers
+3. Use the provider dropdown in the chat interface to switch
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### "Invalid API Key" Error
+
+- Double-check you've copied the entire key
+- Ensure no extra spaces before/after the key
+- Verify the key is active in your provider's dashboard
+
+### "Rate Limit Exceeded"
+
+- Free tiers have usage limits
+- Wait a few minutes and try again
+- Consider upgrading or switching providers
+
+### "Model Not Available"
+
+- Some models require paid accounts
+- Switch to a free-tier model in settings
+
+## Next Steps
+
+Once configured, try these to get started:
+
+1. **Test your setup**: Type "Hello, can you see this?" in Roo Code
+2. **Try Code mode**: Ask Roo to create a simple HTML file
+3. **Explore Architect mode**: Plan your next project
+4. **Use Debug mode**: Fix an existing code issue
+
+## Need Help?
+
+- **Documentation**: [docs.roocode.com](https://docs.roocode.com)
+- **Discord Community**: [discord.gg/roocode](https://discord.gg/roocode)
+- **Video Tutorials**: [YouTube Channel](https://youtube.com/@roocodeyt)
+
+---
+
+💡 **Pro Tip**: Start with OpenRouter for the easiest setup experience. You can always add more providers later!

README.md

@@ -35,7 +35,21 @@
 - [简体中文](locales/zh-CN/README.md)
 - [繁體中文](locales/zh-TW/README.md)
 - ...
-      </details>
+  </details>
+
+---
+
+## 🎉 Free Trial
+
+Get started with Roo Code **immediately** - no credit card required!
+
+→ **[Free Trial Setup Guide](FREE_TRIAL_SETUP.md)** - Start coding with AI in under 2 minutes
+
+Choose from multiple providers offering free credits:
+
+- **OpenRouter**: $1 free credits (easiest setup)
+- **Google Gemini**: Generous free tier with Gemini Flash
+- **Groq**: Free tier with lightning-fast responses
 
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