> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://tmniche-docs.keywordrush.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://tmniche-docs.keywordrush.com/account-and-licensing/byo-api-key.md).

# Bring your own API key

**This is completely optional.** By default, Too Much Niche generates everything with its own managed AI (**Too Much Niche AI**) — no API key, and the AI costs are fully covered by your subscription. You only need this page if you want to generate with **your own OpenAI or Claude key** — to choose a different quality-and-cost balance for your text, or higher-quality **AI featured images**.

{% hint style="info" %}
Bringing your own key is available on the **Growth** and **Agency** tiers.
{% endhint %}

## Why bring your own key?

* **Your choice of quality** — from **Balanced** (fast, low-cost) up to **Advanced** and **Premium** frontier-grade models.
* **More articles** — every article generated with your key costs **½ credit**, whatever quality you pick, so your monthly allowance goes twice as far.

## You choose a quality, not a model

In **AI Settings** you pick a provider and a **quality level** — not a specific model:

* **Balanced** — a faster, lower-cost model for high-volume publishing at the lowest provider cost.
* **Advanced** — a stronger writing model; recommended for most plans and articles.
* **Premium** — a frontier-grade model for every plan and article (highest provider cost).

Behind each level, TMN uses the latest models from your chosen provider with an optimal mix of model and reasoning effort — the best quality without wasting tokens.

## Also for featured images

Your **OpenAI key** can also generate higher-quality **AI featured images** at **Advanced** or **Premium** quality. It's set separately from your writing model, so you can keep managed AI (or Claude) for text and use OpenAI just for images. Image generation is billed to your OpenAI account and doesn't use credits. (Choose where each article's image comes from in your [**preset**](/building-a-site/presets.md).)

## You pay your provider directly

With your own key, your AI usage is billed by **OpenAI or Anthropic directly**, at their rates. TMN doesn't charge for it — the ½-credit cost is simply how it counts against your monthly limit.

## Security

Your API key is stored **encrypted** in WordPress. It's sent securely to the Too Much Niche server **only while a generation job is running**, and the server **purges it the moment the job completes**.

## Set it up

Open **Too Much Niche → AI Settings**, which has two parts:

1. **Plans & articles** — choose *Too Much Niche AI* (default), *My OpenAI API key*, or *My Claude API key*, then pick a **quality** (Balanced, Advanced, or Premium).
2. **Featured images** — choose *Too Much Niche AI* (default) or *My OpenAI key*, then pick an **image quality**.
3. **Paste your API key** when prompted — create one in the [OpenAI dashboard](https://platform.openai.com/api-keys) or the [Anthropic Console](https://console.anthropic.com/settings/keys). TMN validates it with the provider and stores it encrypted. The same key is shared by both sections, so you only enter it once.

New plans, articles, and images then use your key.

![AI Settings — provider, API key, and quality](/files/ZHHg9J7U5NQdHQFb3yTM)

## Next

* [**Plans & limits**](/account-and-licensing/plans-and-limits.md) — how credits and limits work.