Overview
While BoostGPT provides hosted API keys for all supported providers, you can bring your own API keys (BYOK) for greater control, cost optimization, and compliance requirements.Benefits of BYOK
Cost Control
Rate Limits
Compliance
Billing Transparency
Supported Providers
All major AI providers support BYOK through the BoostGPT dashboard:OpenAI
OpenAI
Google (Gemini)
Google (Gemini)
Anthropic (Claude)
Anthropic (Claude)
xAI (Grok)
xAI (Grok)
DeepSeek
DeepSeek
Mistral AI
Mistral AI
Cohere
Cohere
Groq
Groq
Ollama
Ollama
Setup Guide
Step 1: Get Your API Key
Choose Your Provider
Create Account
Generate API Key
Copy API Key
Step 2: Add API Key to BoostGPT
Open BoostGPT Dashboard
Navigate to Integrations
Select Provider
Enter API Key
Select Agents
Save Configuration
Test the Integration
Step 3: Monitor Usage
Usage with SDKs
Once configured in the dashboard, your agents automatically use your custom API keys. No code changes needed!Core SDK
Router SDK
Override API Key Per Request (Advanced)
For Ollama or custom setups, you can override the provider configuration per request:Cost Comparison
BoostGPT Credits vs BYOK
Example Cost Analysis
Scenario: 1M GPT-4o Mini requests per month- BoostGPT Credits: 1M credits × 10,000
- BYOK with OpenAI: ~$8,000 (OpenAI direct pricing)
- Savings: ~$2,000/month (20%)
Security Best Practices
Protect Your API Keys
Use Environment Variables
Use Environment Variables
Rotate Keys Regularly
Rotate Keys Regularly
Use Different Keys Per Environment
Use Different Keys Per Environment
Set Rate Limits
Set Rate Limits
Enable Alerts
Enable Alerts
Monitor API Usage
Provider Dashboards
Set Billing Alerts
Review Monthly
Track by Agent
Troubleshooting
Invalid API Key error
Invalid API Key error
- Double-check the API key was copied correctly
- Verify the key hasn’t been revoked in provider dashboard
- Generate a new API key
- Ensure no extra spaces or characters
Rate limit exceeded
Rate limit exceeded
- Upgrade your API tier with the provider
- Implement request throttling
- Use exponential backoff retries
- Consider using BoostGPT credits for overflow
Insufficient quota
Insufficient quota
- Add payment method to provider account
- Verify email/phone with provider
- Check billing status in provider dashboard
- Add credits or update payment method
API key not working in BoostGPT
API key not working in BoostGPT
- Verify API key was saved correctly
- Check that the agent is selected to use the custom key
- Test the API key directly with provider’s API
- Re-enter and save the API key
Unexpected costs
Unexpected costs
- Review usage in provider dashboard
- Switch to more cost-effective models (e.g., GPT-4o Mini instead of GPT-5)
- Set max_reply_tokens limits
- Implement caching for common queries
- Enable billing alerts
Migration from Credits to BYOK
Calculate Usage
Estimate Costs
Obtain API Keys
Test in Staging
Gradual Rollout
Monitor Performance
FAQ
Can I use both BoostGPT credits and BYOK?
Can I use both BoostGPT credits and BYOK?
Do I still need a BoostGPT subscription with BYOK?
Do I still need a BoostGPT subscription with BYOK?
What happens if my API key runs out of credits?
What happens if my API key runs out of credits?
Can I switch back to BoostGPT credits?
Can I switch back to BoostGPT credits?
Does BYOK work with all features?
Does BYOK work with all features?
How secure is storing my API key in BoostGPT?
How secure is storing my API key in BoostGPT?