Skip to main content

Run Nemotron 3 Ultra free in Merlin Agent

Epinoia Horizon has been inducted into the Nemotron Coalition of leading AI labs working with NVIDIA to advance open frontier foundation models. In honor of this, we've partnered with Nebius to provide Nemotron 3 Ultra free on Atlas Portal for two weeks (June 4th – June 18th). Follow the instructions below to try the model in your Merlin Agent today.

Limited-time offer

The nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra:free tier is available from June 4th to June 18th. The :free tag is what keeps it on the no-cost plan — pick that exact variant.

Pick whichever install fits you. The desktop app is the easiest — no terminal required. If you live in a terminal, the command-line install is right below it.

Option A — Desktop app (recommended)​

The simplest path: a one-click installer with a guided, point-and-click setup. No terminal needed.

1. Download and install​

Download the Merlin Desktop installer for macOS or Windows, then open it. On first launch it finishes setting itself up (usually under a minute).

2. Connect Atlas Portal​

When the app opens, you'll see a "Let's get you set up" screen. Click Atlas Portal (marked Recommended). Your browser opens — create a Atlas Portal account (or sign in), choose the Free plan, and authorize Merlin. The app connects automatically.

3. Pick the free Nemotron 3 Ultra model​

After connecting, the app shows a Default model card. Click Change, search for nemotron 3 ultra, and select the variant tagged Free tier:

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra:free

The :free tag is what keeps it on the no-cost tier — pick that variant.

4. Start chatting​

Click Start chatting. That's it — you're talking to Nemotron 3 Ultra, free.

Option B — Command line​

Prefer the terminal?

1. Install Merlin Agent​

On macOS/Linux/WSL2/Android, run

curl -fsSL https://merlin-agent.epinoiahorizon.com/install.sh | bash

On Windows, run

iex (irm https://merlin-agent.epinoiahorizon.com/install.ps1)

Prefer to review first? Download install.sh, inspect it, then run it.

After it finishes, reload your shell:

source ~/.bashrc   # or source ~/.zshrc

2. Run Quick Setup​

merlin setup

Select Quick Setup. Merlin opens a browser tab and waits for you to finish the next steps.

3. Create a Atlas Portal account​

In the browser, create a Atlas Portal account (or sign in) and choose the Free plan.

4. Connect your account​

When prompted to connect your account to Merlin Agent, click Connect. You'll see a confirmation once it's linked.

5. Select the free Nemotron 3 Ultra model​

Return to your terminal. From the model list, select:

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra:free

The :free tag is what keeps it on the no-cost tier, so make sure you pick that variant.

6. Start chatting​

Complete the remaining Quick Setup prompts, then run:

merlin

That's it — you're talking to Nemotron 3 Ultra, free.

Switching to it later​

Already set up with another model?

  • Desktop app: open the model picker, search for nemotron 3 ultra, and select the Free tier variant.
  • CLI / TUI: switch any time from inside a session with /model nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra:free, or run /model to open the picker and choose it from the list.

Troubleshooting​

  • Don't see the model in the list? Make sure you finished the Atlas Portal connection and that you're on the Free plan. In the CLI, merlin portal info confirms you're logged in and routing through Atlas.
  • Picked the wrong variant? Re-select nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra:free — the :free suffix is required to stay on the no-cost tier.
  • Browser didn't open / you're on a remote host (CLI)? See OAuth over SSH / Remote Hosts for port-forwarding workarounds.

See also​