Understanding the BYOK model and why it's better for developers
Instead of charging you $20-50/month for AI features, we let you use your own API key from AI providers. This means:
With BYOK, you pay AI providers directly. No markups, no hidden fees.
Real example: If you use Recoder 10 times per day, that's ~300 chats/month = $3 vs traditional platforms charging $49/month. You save $46/month!
With your own OpenRouter key, you get access to 40+ AI models and can switch between them instantly.
Traditional platforms: Force you to use specific models. BYOK: You choose the best model for each task and save money using cheaper models when appropriate.
When you use your own API key, your data goes directly to AI providers. We don't log or store your conversations.
Create your free account - no credit card required
Takes 30 seconds with GitHub or Google sign-in
Choose OpenRouter (recommended), Anthropic, or OpenAI
OpenRouter gives you $5 free credit on signup = 500+ requests
Go to Settings → AI Providers and paste your key
We encrypt it with AES-256-GCM before storing
Use Web IDE or CLI - pay only for what you use
Check your AI provider dashboard to see exact costs
AI API costs are expensive and unpredictable. OpenAI charges us the same price they charge you. If we included it, we'd either have to charge $50+/month (with limits) or go out of business. BYOK lets us stay free while you get unlimited usage at cost.
Yes! We encrypt your API key with AES-256-GCM (military-grade encryption) before storing it. Even our team cannot see your key in plain text. The key is only decrypted when making API calls on your behalf.
Think of it like how 1Password stores your passwords - encrypted at rest, only decrypted when needed.
It depends on which models you use and how often. Here are real examples:
Just add more credits to your AI provider account (OpenRouter, Anthropic, or OpenAI). You'll get a clear error message when your credits run low, and you can top up instantly. No surprise bills - you control exactly how much you spend.
Sign up for free, add your API key, and start building. No commitment, cancel anytime.
No credit card • Takes 5 minutes • $0 platform fee