Bring your own model, free with your own key.

Mel is free with your own provider key on Mac, Windows, Linux and VS Code. Add a key in Settings, and each agent turn on your key uses 0 Mel credits.

Download the free terminal Get a free key

Groq and Google AI Studio give you a key at no cost.

Providers

12 providers accept your own key

Each one has its own row under Settings → AI → Provider API keys.

Anthropic
OpenAI
Google (Gemini)
xAI
Groq
DeepSeek
Moonshot (Kimi)
GLM
MiniMax
Alibaba (Qwen)
NVIDIA (NIM)
Xiaomi (MiMo)

Set it up

Add your key

01
Get a key
Create an API key on your provider's site. Groq and Google AI Studio give you one at no cost. Read more
02
Open Settings
Click the avatar at the top right, choose Settings, open AI and scroll to Provider API keys.
03
Paste and save
Paste the key into its provider's row and click Save.
04
Ask the agent
Leave the model on Auto, or pick one. On your own key, Auto chooses among that provider's models only.

What changes

What your own key changes

0 Mel credits

A turn on your own key uses 0 Mel credits. You pay your provider directly, at their price, with no Mel markup.

Your provider's limits

Your provider's own limits apply. When you reach one, the provider refuses requests until it resets.

Kept on your device

Your key is kept in the keychain on macOS and Windows, and in a file only your user account can read on Linux. Mel's relay uses it for each request and never stores or logs it.

Learn more