Bring Your Own Key (BYOK)
Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) lets you use your own API Keys to access AI services, giving you complete control over your AI experience.
What is BYOK?
BYOK means you register and obtain API Keys from AI service providers yourself, then configure them in Chatbox. Unlike Chatbox AI subscription, BYOK lets you connect directly with AI providers.
Key Advantages
Flexibility and Freedom
- Choose Any Provider: Not limited to preset options, use any AI service you like
- Any Model: Including newly released models and specific versions
- Multiple Providers: Configure multiple providers simultaneously, switch as needed
Cost Control
- Pay Per Use: Only pay for Tokens actually used
- No Monthly Pressure: Pay for what you use, no waste
- Ideal for Heavy Users: May be more cost-effective than subscriptions for high usage
Privacy Protection
- Direct Connection: Data goes directly to AI providers, not through intermediary servers
- Transparent Control: Know exactly where your data goes
- Enterprise Compliance: Meets certain enterprise data compliance requirements
Local Model Support
- Completely Offline: Use local solutions like Ollama, LM Studio
- Data Stays Local: Sensitive data never leaves your machine
- Zero Cost: No fees except electricity
Supported Providers
Cloud AI Services
| Provider | Description | Setup Guide |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | GPT 5.2, o3, o4-mini, etc. | Setup Guide |
| Anthropic | Claude 4.5 Sonnet, Claude Haiku 3.5, etc. | Setup Guide |
| Gemini 3 Pro, Gemini 2.5 Flash, etc. | Setup Guide |
Local AI Solutions
| Provider | Description | Setup Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Ollama | Most popular local model runner | Setup Guide |
| LM Studio | User-friendly GUI local solution | Setup Guide |
Aggregator Platforms
| Provider | Description | Setup Guide |
|---|---|---|
| OpenRouter | 100+ model aggregation, one Key for all | Setup Guide |
How to Choose?
Recommended OpenAI for:
- Need the most capable all-around models
- Already have an OpenAI account
- Primarily for daily conversation, writing
Recommended Claude for:
- Need to process long texts (100K+ Tokens)
- Prefer more nuanced, safer responses
- Programming and analysis tasks
Recommended Gemini for:
- Need strong multimodal capabilities
- Want to use Google ecosystem
- Need ultra-long context (1 million Tokens)
Recommended Local Solutions for:
- Strict privacy requirements
- Don't want to pay for AI
- Limited network environment
- Want to learn and explore AI
Recommended OpenRouter for:
- Want to try multiple models
- Don't want to register multiple accounts
- Need access to niche models
Next Steps
Choose a Provider to get started:
- OpenAI Setup Guide - Most popular AI service
- Claude Setup Guide - Best for long text and programming
- Gemini Setup Guide - Google's multimodal AI
- Ollama Setup Guide - Run open-source models locally
- LM Studio Setup Guide - GUI-based local solution
- OpenRouter Setup Guide - Multi-model aggregation platform