Setup Guide

Connect Your API Key

Set up your own AI provider in under 2 minutes

Unlimited Usage

No monthly credit limits

Your Data, Your Key

Direct to AI provider

12 Models

OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, OpenRouter, or your own endpoint

🟢

OpenAI

GPT-5.4, GPT-4o, and more

  1. 1

    Go to OpenAI API Keys

    platform.openai.com/api-keys
  2. 2

    Click “Create new secret key”

    Give it a name like “KeyShift AI”

  3. 3

    Copy the key (starts with sk-)

    You won't be able to see it again

  4. 4

    In KeyShift AI: Settings → AI Provider → Paste key → Save

    Click “Test Connection” to verify

Recommended model: GPT-5.4 Mini — best balance of speed and quality. ~$0.001 per request.

🟠

Anthropic (Claude)

Claude Opus 4.6, Sonnet, Haiku

  1. 1
  2. 2

    Click “Create Key”

    Name it “KeyShift AI”

  3. 3

    Copy the key (starts with sk-ant-)

  4. 4

    In KeyShift AI: Settings → AI Provider → Select “Anthropic” → Paste key → Save

Recommended model: Claude Haiku 4.5 — fastest and cheapest. ~$0.001 per request.

🔵

Google Gemini

Gemini 2.5 Pro, Flash, Flash-Lite

  1. 1

    Go to Google AI Studio

    aistudio.google.com/apikey
  2. 2

    Click “Create API Key”

    Select or create a Google Cloud project when prompted

  3. 3

    Copy the API key

    Starts with AIza

  4. 4

    In KeyShift AI: Settings → AI Provider → Select “Google (Gemini)” → Paste key → Save

Recommended model: Gemini 2.0 Flash — fast, cheap, and great quality. Free tier available with generous limits.

🔀

OpenRouter

Hundreds of models from one key

  1. 1

    Go to OpenRouter Keys

    openrouter.ai/keys
  2. 2

    Click “Create Key” and add credits

    You pay OpenRouter directly, usually cents per day

  3. 3

    Copy the API key

    Starts with sk-or-

  4. 4

    In KeyShift AI: Settings → AI Provider → Select “OpenRouter” → Paste key → Save

    The model list loads live from OpenRouter, so you always see what's available

Why OpenRouter: one key gives you GPT, Claude, Gemini, Llama, DeepSeek and many more, including free models. Switch models anytime without creating new accounts.

🛠️

Custom endpoint

Your own server, a local model, or any OpenAI-compatible API

  1. 1

    Settings → AI Provider → Select “Custom endpoint (OpenAI-compatible)”

  2. 2

    Paste your endpoint URL

    Either form works: https://your-server.com/v1 or the full /chat/completions path

  3. 3

    Enter the model id your server serves

    Not sure? Open YOUR_URL/models in a browser to list them

  4. 4

    Add an API key if your endpoint needs one, then Test Connection

    Leave the key empty for self-hosted servers with no auth

Works with: Ollama (http://localhost:11434/v1), LM Studio, vLLM, LiteLLM, Azure OpenAI, or your own proxy in front of any provider. The endpoint has to speak the OpenAI chat/completions format.

What does it actually cost?

Fix grammar (1 request)~$0.0005
Translate a paragraph~$0.001
Draft an email reply~$0.002
50 requests/day for a month~$1.50/month
100 requests/day (heavy use)~$3/month

Estimates based on GPT-4o-mini pricing. Costs vary by model and request length.

Troubleshooting

“Invalid API key”

Make sure you copied the full key. For OpenAI, it starts with sk-. For Anthropic, it starts with sk-ant-. Check that you selected the correct provider in the dropdown.

“Connection failed”

Check your internet connection. If you're behind a corporate firewall or VPN, the provider's API endpoint may be blocked. Try disabling your VPN temporarily.

“Rate limit exceeded”

You've hit the provider's rate limit. Wait a moment and try again. New OpenAI accounts have lower limits — they increase automatically after a few days of usage and billing.

AI Provider section not visible

The API key settings only appear for Lifetime and AppSumo Tier 3 users. If you're on a different plan, upgrade to unlock BYOK.