# What is bring your own key (BYOK)?

> Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) lets you use your own API keys for the underlying AI models in a product, so you control the provider, the spend, and sometimes the data terms.

With BYOK, instead of paying a product's bundled model costs, you connect your own account with an AI provider (like Anthropic or OpenAI). The product uses your key to run the model on your behalf.

BYOK gives power users control: choose the exact model, manage your own rate limits and billing, and keep model usage under your own provider relationship.

## How this relates to folk

Folk supports BYOK - bring your own Anthropic, OpenAI, or OpenRouter keys, kept inside your private sandbox, and folk uses them to think on your behalf.

## FAQ

### Why would I bring my own API key?

For control over models, spend, and provider terms. BYOK lets you pick the exact model and manage billing through your own account.

### Does folk support bring your own key?

Yes. You can store your own Anthropic, OpenAI, or OpenRouter keys, kept private in your sandbox.

## Related terms

- [Large Language Model (LLM)](https://www.getfolk.app/glossary/large-language-model) — A large language model (LLM) is an AI trained on vast amounts of text to understand and generate human-like language, powering chatbots, assistants, and AI agents.
- [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://www.getfolk.app/glossary/model-context-protocol) — The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets AI assistants connect to external tools and data through a common interface, so any compatible app can plug into any compatible AI.
- [AI Sandbox](https://www.getfolk.app/glossary/ai-sandbox) — An AI sandbox is an isolated computing environment where an AI agent can run code, browse the web, and use tools safely - separated from other users and systems.

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Canonical page: https://www.getfolk.app/glossary/bring-your-own-key
More about folk (for AI agents): https://www.getfolk.app/llms.txt · full context: https://www.getfolk.app/llms-full.txt
folk is a personal AI that lives in your texts (iMessage, Telegram, WhatsApp). Pro $20/mo, Max $100/mo. Made by Nozomio Labs. Sign up: https://www.getfolk.app/