Bring your own API key: what BYOK means and why it usually costs less
BYOK (bring your own key) means you pay the model maker directly at API cost instead of a flat monthly subscription. Here is how it works in More AI, what it costs in practice, and how to keep spending under control.
The More AI team · Updated June 14, 2026
Subscriptions vs. API pricing
Cloud chat apps charge a fixed monthly fee whether you use them for five minutes or five hours. With BYOK you create an API key with the model provider and pay per token — fractions of a cent for a typical message. For most people who chat a few times a day, that works out far cheaper than a subscription.
Just as important: the relationship is between you and the provider. There is no middleman marking up your usage, throttling you at peak hours, or changing what “unlimited” means.
Which providers work with More AI
More AI ships with first-class support for Anthropic, OpenAI, Google (Gemini), Mistral, Groq, DeepSeek, Qwen and OpenRouter, plus any custom endpoint that speaks the OpenAI-compatible API — which includes local model servers like Ollama or LM Studio.
You can add keys for several providers at once and switch models per conversation. OpenRouter is a popular single-key option: one key, one bill, and models from every major lab in one list.
Adding and managing keys
Open Settings → Providers, paste a key into the matching provider and the app fetches that provider’s live model list immediately. Keys are encrypted with the OS keychain (Keychain on macOS, DPAPI on Windows, libsecret on Linux) and never leave the main process — the interface only ever knows whether a key exists.
Keeping costs under control
More AI shows per-model prices (where the provider reports them) right in the model picker, and an optional budget filter hides models above a price ceiling you set. The context-window meter keeps long conversations honest — you can see exactly when a chat is getting expensive to continue.
A practical pattern: use a fast, cheap model (a “mini” or “flash” tier) for everyday questions and switch to a frontier model only for hard tasks. With BYOK the switch is two clicks, not a plan upgrade.
Fully offline: local models
Point a custom provider at a local OpenAI-compatible server and More AI works with no internet connection at all. Your prompts never leave the machine — useful for sensitive documents, air-gapped environments or just flying.
Frequently asked questions
Is BYOK cheaper than a subscription?
For most people, yes. You pay the provider per token — fractions of a cent per message — so a few chats a day usually costs far less than a flat monthly fee, with no markup or seat fees.
Can I use more than one provider at once?
Yes. Add keys for several providers and switch models per conversation. OpenRouter is a popular single-key option that exposes models from every major lab under one bill.
Can I run More AI with no API cost at all?
Yes — point a custom provider at a local OpenAI-compatible server such as Ollama or LM Studio. It then runs fully offline, with no per-token cost and nothing leaving your machine.
Where do I get an API key?
From your provider’s dashboard — for example console.anthropic.com, platform.openai.com or openrouter.ai. Create a key, copy it, and paste it into Settings → Providers; More AI fetches that provider’s live model list right away.
Are my API keys safe?
Keys are encrypted with your operating system’s keychain (Keychain on macOS, DPAPI on Windows, libsecret on Linux) and never leave the main process. They are used only to call the provider you chose, directly from your machine.