Bring your own AI key (BYO)

On a bring-your-own-key (BYO) plan you supply your own AI provider key. The platform uses it for AI features, you pay your provider directly, and the monthly caps on AI-heavy tools are lifted - ideal if you're a heavy user of reports or the Copywriter.

Getting an Anthropic API key

BYO plans run on your own Anthropic API key. If you don't have one yet, the AI key card links straight to where you create it:

1. Open console.anthropic.com and sign in (or create an Anthropic account).
2. Go to Settings -> API keys and create a key. It starts with sk-ant-. Copy it straight away - Anthropic only shows the full key once.

Adding your key

1. Make sure you're on a BYO plan (choose it at sign-up, or switch any time from Settings - Plan and billing -> Manage plan and billing - see Plans, pricing & billing).
2. Go to Settings -> AI key and paste your key. Don't have one? The card has a "Create one in the Anthropic Console" link that opens the page above.
3. The platform validates it with a tiny test call, then saves it encrypted. It's never shown back to you, and only the owner can manage it.

Usage on your key is billed to you by Anthropic directly, which is exactly why a BYO plan runs without the monthly usage limits of the included-AI plans.

What BYO changes

• Caps lifted on AI-heavy features (reports, copywriting, market research, ad briefs, the Brain chat and more) - you're paying for the AI, so the platform gets out of the way.
• A daily spend safeguard still applies as a safety net against runaway usage.
• A few features keep their own limits, because they use other paid services (for example image generation and voice calling) - those aren't covered by your AI key.

If something stops working

If your key is missing, invalid or over its daily safeguard, AI features pause rather than quietly falling back to someone else's bill. The message tells you which:

• "...no key is configured. Add one under Settings -> AI key." - you haven't added a key yet. Add it and you're away.
• "That does not look like an Anthropic API key (sk-ant-...)" - paste the full key; it begins with sk-ant-.
• "Anthropic rejected this key" - the key is wrong, revoked, or out of credit. Generate a new one in your Anthropic console and paste it again.
• "Daily AI spend cap reached ($X / $Y). Resets at 00:00 UTC." - you've hit the daily safety limit on your own key (default $50). It resets at midnight UTC.

Re-check or update the key in Settings - AI key. See Error messages explained.