How to get an AI API key: Gemini, OpenAI and OpenRouter

Updated November 2, 2026

The OfficeX AI chat can run on your own AI API key. Then the AI tokens cost you no OfficeX credits: you pay the AI company directly, at its price.

This guide shows how to get a key from three providers. Each part has a short video and written steps. Then it shows where to paste the key in OfficeX.

Which provider to pick

Provider	Good for	Cost
OpenRouter	The OfficeX default. Hundreds of models with one key.	Prepaid credits
Google Gemini	A free start with the Google account that you already have.	Free tier with low limits, then pay as you go
OpenAI	Teams that already pay for the OpenAI API.	Prepaid credits, $5 minimum

If you are not sure, pick OpenRouter. OfficeX fills in a good default model for each provider.

1. Google Gemini

Video: Google for Startups · Open on YouTube

Go to aistudio.google.com/apikey.
Sign in with your Google account.
Click Create API key. Pick a Google Cloud project, or let Google AI Studio make one for you.
Copy the key. A Gemini key starts with AIza.

Free tier or paid tier. The free tier has low rate limits, so a long chat with many app calls can stop with “rate limited”. Google can also use free-tier data to make its products better. For business use, turn on billing for the project in Google AI Studio.

2. OpenAI

Video: 9x · Open on YouTube

Go to platform.openai.com and sign in. You can use your ChatGPT login.
Open Settings → Billing. Add a card and buy credits. The minimum is $5.
Open API keys and click Create new secret key.
Give the key a name, for example “OfficeX”. Click Create secret key.
Copy the key now. OpenAI shows it only one time. An OpenAI key starts with sk-.

A ChatGPT Plus plan does not pay for the API. The API has its own credits. Without credits, the key gives the error “quota exceeded”.

3. OpenRouter

Video: AIdeal Academy · Open on YouTube

Go to openrouter.ai and sign in.
Open Credits and add credits.
Open Keys and click Create key.
Give the key a name. You can also set a credit limit for this key.
Copy the key now. OpenRouter shows it only one time. An OpenRouter key starts with sk-or-.

Add the key to OfficeX

Open the OfficeX AI chat.
Below the list of chats, click AI settings.
Pick the Provider: OpenRouter, ChatGPT (OpenAI) or Gemini.
Paste the key in API key. Keep the default Model.
Click Save. OfficeX checks the key before it saves it.

We keep the key encrypted, and you see only its last four characters. The chat then shows “Your key ending …”. To go back to the OfficeX model, open AI settings and click Remove my key.

Your own key pays only for the AI model. A new app connection, for example Gmail or HubSpot, still costs OfficeX credits one time.

Keep your key safe

Treat the key like a password. Do not send it in email or chat.
Set a spend limit at the provider: a credit limit on the OpenRouter key, a project budget at OpenAI, or a budget alert in Google Cloud.
Use one key for each app. Then you can stop one app and keep the others.
If a key leaks, delete it at the provider. Then make a new key and paste it in OfficeX.

If the key does not work

Error	Fix
Key rejected	Copy the full key again, with no space at the start or end. Make sure that you did not delete the key at the provider.
No credits or quota exceeded	Add credits at OpenAI or OpenRouter, or turn on billing for the Gemini project.
Rate limited	Wait some minutes and try again. A Gemini free-tier key has low limits: turn on billing to raise them.
Model not found	Pick the provider again so that OfficeX fills in its default model.

Open the AI chat See every app

The videos are from other creators. The screens at each provider change often, but the steps stay the same. OfficeX is not part of Google, OpenAI or OpenRouter.