Free desktop LLM client for macOS, Windows and Linux that runs on your own provider keys
Best for: People already paying providers per token who want one client across all of them
GermanyAdded 2mo ago
Free
60trust score out of 100
1
ai-for / bring-your-own-key
Bring-Your-Own-Key AI Tools
As of , EffectHub tracks 10 AI tools for bring your own key; 6 of the 10 have a free tier, and paid plans run from $3.99 to $10 a month.
MindWork AI Studio, Quartzite and ScamCheck Grok lead the list on click-through. 1 of the 10 ships a public API.
A weekly email when new tools land here.
- 10
- tools tracked
- 6 of 10
- free to start
- $3.99–$10
- paid entry, per month
- 1
- ship a public API
The shortlist — tools for bring your own key
ranked by click-through
One markdown chat interface for multiple AI models, with prompt templates and cost previews, billed via your own API keys.
Best for: developers who already hold API keys for multiple model providers
Added 1mo ago
Paidfrom $3.99/mo
54trust score out of 100
1
Free browser tool that uses your own xAI key to check a photo or screenshot of a message for scam warning signs
Best for: People who already have or do not mind creating an xAI API key
Added 1mo ago
Free
54trust score out of 100
TalkCody
69Free, open-source coding agent built on Rust and Tauri, with bring-your-own-key access to OpenAI, Anthropic, Google or local models.
Best for: Developers who already pay for Claude Pro, ChatGPT Plus or Copilot and want to reuse it
Added 1mo ago
Free
54trust score out of 100
1
Builds a profile of a fiction writer's voice, then checks every AI-drafted scene against it before showing a draft.
Best for: Hobby and indie novelists drafting long fiction
Added 1mo ago
FreeAPI
54trust score out of 100
BoltAI
69Native Mac client for 300+ models on your own keys
Best for: Developers and power users with existing OpenAI or Anthropic keys
VietnamAdded 2mo ago
Paidfrom $79 once
60trust score out of 100
Langless
69Live speech translation for video calls and podcasts, using your own AI provider key instead of a markup per minute.
Best for: Teams already holding API keys with a supported AI provider
BrazilAdded 1mo ago
Freemiumfrom $25/seat/mo
60trust score out of 100
1
Macaify
69Menu-bar shortcut that runs AI on selected text inside any Mac app, without switching windows.
Best for: Mac users who want AI edits without leaving the current app
ChinaAdded 1mo ago
Freemiumfrom $4/mo
60trust score out of 100
1
Browser tool for generating short Veo 3.1 video clips from text, images, or a first-and-last frame pair.
Best for: Users who already have a Google AI Pro subscription and billing set up
Added 1mo ago
Paidfrom $0.6/request
54trust score out of 100
Floating ChatGPT window and iOS keyboard that works inside any Mac or iPhone app
Best for: Mac users who want an AI prompt available inside every app
Added 2mo ago
Paidfrom $10/mo
57trust score out of 100
Compared at a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | API | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MindWork AI Studio | Free | Yes | Not confirmed | Active |
| Quartzite | from $3.99/mo | No | Not confirmed | Active |
| ScamCheck Grok | Free | Yes | Not confirmed | Active |
| TalkCody | Free | Yes | Not confirmed | Active |
| AIStoryHub | Free | Yes | Yes | Active |
| BoltAI | from $79 once | No | Not confirmed | Active |
| Langless | from $25/seat/mo | Yes | Not confirmed | Active |
| Macaify | from $4/mo | Yes | Not confirmed | Active |
| Movie Maker Gemini | from $0.6/request | No | Not confirmed | Active |
| WriteMage | from $10/mo | No | Not confirmed | Active |
Compare bring your own key tools head-to-head
Questions about bring your own key tools
Is there a free bring your own key tool?
Yes. 4 of the 10 AI tools for bring your own key on EffectHub's list are free to use — MindWork AI Studio, ScamCheck Grok, TalkCody and AIStoryHub; 2 more have a free tier with paid upgrades.
How much do bring your own key tools cost?
As of October 26, 2026, paid plans for the 10 AI tools for bring your own key on EffectHub's list run from $3.99 to $10 a month. Each card shows the pricing model and the cheapest paid plan as EffectHub last verified it; 6 of the 10 can be started for free.
Which bring your own key tools have an API?
1 of the 10 AI tools for bring your own key on EffectHub's list ships a public API, including AIStoryHub. The API badge on each card is re-checked against the vendor's documentation.
Cite this
For journalists, researchers and AI assistants: the figures on this page in one sentence you can quote.
As of October 26, 2026, EffectHub tracks 10 AI tools for bring your own key; 6 of the 10 have a free tier, and paid plans run from $3.99 to $10 a month. (EffectHub, “Bring-Your-Own-Key AI Tools”, Oct 2026, https://effecthub.net/ai-for/bring-your-own-key)
Figures as of How we count
These figures are free to use under CC BY 4.0 with a link to this page.