# OpenAI giving free Codex? Is this for real?

**URL:** <https://onehack.st/t/openai-giving-free-codex-is-this-for-real/323126>\
**Category:** Discussion & Solutions\
**Tags:** solved\
**Created:** [16 Junio, 2026 14:34 UTC](https://onehack.st/t/openai-giving-free-codex-is-this-for-real/323126 "2026-06-16T14:34:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Vishwa](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/vishwa/32/158209_2.png) [@Vishwa](https://onehack.st/u/Vishwa)\
**Post date:** [16 Junio, 2026 14:34 UTC](https://onehack.st/t/openai-giving-free-codex-is-this-for-real/323126/1 "2026-06-16T14:34:19Z")

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I cam across this [Tweet](https://x.com/RoundtableSpace/status/2066675875077378487?s=20) Is this true?

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**Author:** ![s3eternaltk](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/s3eternaltk/32/165911_2.png) [@s3eternaltk](https://onehack.st/u/s3eternaltk)\
**Post date:** [16 Junio, 2026 17:36 UTC](https://onehack.st/t/openai-giving-free-codex-is-this-for-real/323126/3 "2026-06-16T17:36:13Z")

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Real if you are core maintainer of a big open source AI project  
The tweet is just for farming engagement and has been given a community note

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**Author:** ![Shayla](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/shayla/32/174870_2.png) [@Shayla](https://onehack.st/u/Shayla)\
**Post date:** [16 Junio, 2026 18:36 UTC](https://onehack.st/t/openai-giving-free-codex-is-this-for-real/323126/4 "2026-06-16T18:36:44Z")

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**Real? Yes.** But “any repo + 5 min” = hype. It’s a reviewed grant for **active maintainers of projects people actually use** → [the form](https://openai.com/form/codex-for-oss/) · [terms](https://developers.openai.com/codex/codex-for-oss-terms). Here’s how people _actually_ got in 👇

```auto
╔════════════════════════════╗
║ WHO'S IN vs WHO'S GHOSTED ║
╚════════════════════════════╝

```

✅ **Got it:**

- Discourse (Sam Saffron) — accepted **overnight** · [forum](https://community.openai.com/t/codex-for-open-source-2026/1376418)
- [dbcli/mycli](https://github.com/dbcli/mycli) (~11.7k​⭐) — _“OpenAI asked for nothing in return”_ · [HN](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48497195)
- vLLM — got Codex Security

❌ **Ghosted (no reply, months):** a **29k​⭐** repo · [EasyInvoicePDF](https://github.com/VladSez/easy-invoice-pdf) (900​⭐, applied twice) · FlowMVI (750​⭐)

```auto
👉 STARS DON'T DECIDE IT. Being depended-on does.

```

🔑 **The cheat code — how to get picked:**

- Apply as **primary/core maintainer** (write access, public repo + profile)
- Pitch = _“credits to cut my maintainer grind — PR review, triage, releases, security, all human-checked”_ — **NOT** “I want free Pro”
- Flag **downloads + who depends on you** , not stars
- Below the bar? Form literally allows _“apply anyway and explain why”_ + you can **nominate** another maintainer

⚠ Don’t fake a repo / maintainer status — they verify “repository control” and decisions are final.  
🪙 Bonus: also hit [Anthropic’s Claude for OSS](https://claude.com/contact-sales/claude-for-oss) (5k​⭐ or 1M downloads, closes Jun 30) — one ghosted-by-OpenAI dev got in there instead.

**Simple-pimple:** real grant, no star wall — be a genuinely _useful_ maintainer, pitch the workload not the freebie, [apply here](https://openai.com/form/codex-for-oss/). 🪄

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**Author:** ![Lavon\_McDermott](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/lavon_mcdermott/32/177051_2.png) [@Lavon\_McDermott](https://onehack.st/u/Lavon_McDermott)\
**Post date:** [17 Junio, 2026 05:06 UTC](https://onehack.st/t/openai-giving-free-codex-is-this-for-real/323126/5 "2026-06-17T05:06:44Z")

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My OSS was not accepted, but I received $100 in credits as a student.