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How API Keys Work
Your helper starts on included trial credit. When that runs out, you add your own AI provider key and pay the provider directly.
On this page
Your AI helper needs an AI model to think with, and AI models are paid for with an API key. An API key is a password-like code from an AI provider (such as Anthropic or OpenAI) that lets software use their models and bills the usage to an account.
BrainRoad handles this in two stages:
- You start on included trial credit. No provider account, no card, nothing to configure.
- When the credit runs out, you add your own key. The provider bills you directly at their published rates. BrainRoad does not mark up AI usage, and the Pro subscription does not include model usage.
The included trial key
When your helper is first set up, BrainRoad creates a managed trial key for you through OpenRouter (a service that provides access to many AI models through one account) and configures it automatically. Your helper can start working before you have any provider account of your own.
- Included credit: currently $5.00 of AI usage. One trial per person — deleting and recreating your helper does not reset it.
- Default trial model: xAI’s Grok 4.5, with MoonshotAI’s Kimi K2.6 as an automatic fallback. If you set your own preferred model, BrainRoad leaves it alone.
- Where you see it: the Helper page shows your remaining trial credit, and warns you when it runs low so you can add your own key before anything stops.
When the credit is used up, your helper pauses AI work until you add a key. Nothing is deleted: your Business Brain, settings, and review history all stay put.
Adding your own key
Keys live on the Helper page (/dashboard), under the API Keys tab of your helper’s detail card.
When your helper has no working key, a guided setup appears instead of a bare form. It offers:
- Start with included credit — activates the trial key, if you still have it.
- Bring your own key — pick a provider and follow short numbered steps: where to create the key, what the key should start with (for example, Anthropic keys start with
sk-ant-), a paste field, and an optional key test. - A short “help me choose” path — answer one question about what matters most (free, cheapest, best quality, or “I already have a key”) and it recommends a provider. See Choosing a Provider for the same guidance in more detail.
Who pays for what
| Cost | Who pays |
|---|---|
| Trial AI credit (currently $5.00) | BrainRoad |
| AI usage after the trial credit | You, billed directly by your provider at their rates |
| Hosting, the Business Brain, and the review workflow | Covered by your BrainRoad plan |
BrainRoad adds no markup on tokens and never bills you for AI usage. To avoid surprises, set a spending limit in your provider’s own billing dashboard; every major provider supports this. For plan details, see Plans and Pricing.
Related docs
- Choosing a Provider — which providers are supported and which to pick
- Managing Keys — update, rotate, or remove keys later
- Plans and Pricing — what the subscription covers