Model Providers
How to use your own API key with camelAI, and what each provider unlocks.
camelAI is model-agnostic. By default, camelAI's hosted credits (included with paid plans, or topped up on any plan) call whichever model you've picked for the thread, and the Camel Free model is included on every plan with no credits or key at all. If you'd rather use your own API key, you can bring one instead. This page explains what each option gives you and how to set it up.
The agent can run on the major model families camelAI supports: GPT, Gemini, Grok, Kimi, DeepSeek, and Claude. You can switch models any time from the model picker in the chat. Whichever provider you've connected determines which models are available to you.
Bringing your own key replaces camelAI's hosted models entirely, including Camel Free. You can't mix and match your own key for one model family with camelAI credits for another. All requests go through your one chosen provider. If you need access to multiple model families on a single key, use OpenRouter. The one exception is Sign in with OpenAI (below), which works alongside any setup for GPT models.
When to use camelAI credits#
- You don't already have a provider account.
- You want one bill, not multiple.
- You want every supported model available without managing separate keys.
When to bring your own key#
- You're on the Free plan and would rather use your provider account than prepay camelAI credits.
- You have provider credits you want to make use of.
- Your company needs usage on a corporate AWS or Azure bill for compliance or finance reasons.
- You need a provider we don't support natively (Microsoft Azure, Google Vertex, etc.). See Using an unsupported provider through OpenRouter below.
Supported providers#
camelAI supports four providers for BYOK. Each unlocks a specific set of models.
Using an unsupported provider through OpenRouter#
camelAI doesn't connect natively to Microsoft Azure OpenAI or Google Vertex AI. Each cloud provider has its own auth model, billing structure, and quirks, and supporting them all directly would slow down our work on the rest of the platform. The good news: if your company is on one of those providers, you can still run camelAI through your existing account by routing through OpenRouter.
How it works#
OpenRouter supports plugging in your own keys for a long list of cloud providers, including:
- Microsoft Azure OpenAI
- Google Vertex AI
- AWS Bedrock (alternative to our direct Bedrock integration)
- Others. See OpenRouter's BYOK guide for the current list.
When you connect those keys to OpenRouter, OpenRouter forwards your requests to that provider. Usage runs against your Azure (or Vertex, or Bedrock) bill, and OpenRouter charges a 5% fee on top, waived for the first 1 million BYOK requests per month.
Setup with Azure as the example#
Set up Azure OpenAI
In your Azure portal: deploy a model, note the endpoint URL, deployment name, and API key.
Add Azure as a provider in OpenRouter
Paste the endpoint URL, model ID, and API key per OpenRouter's Azure setup instructions.
Add the OpenRouter key to camelAI
Add the key under Settings → AI Provider → OpenRouter.
The same flow works for Google Vertex (Google Cloud service account JSON) or AWS Bedrock through OpenRouter (AWS access key + region).
Native Azure or Vertex support in camelAI isn't on the near-term roadmap. The OpenRouter pass-through is the recommended path for the foreseeable future, and it's how most of our customers in this situation are running today.
Adding a key#
Open AI Provider settings
Open Settings → AI Provider in your workspace.
Pick a provider
Choose Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter, or AWS Bedrock.
Paste your API key
Paste your API key (and select a region, if you're using Bedrock).
Save
Save the form.
The form has a "Get a key" link next to each provider that takes you to the right page on the provider's site.
You can switch providers any time from the same screen, or remove your key and switch to camelAI hosted credits (included with paid plans, or topped up on any plan).
Sign in with OpenAI#
If you have a ChatGPT subscription, you can connect it under Settings → AI Provider with a short sign-in flow. There's no API key to copy. GPT model usage then runs against the allowance already included in your ChatGPT plan, at no extra cost.
Two things make this different from a regular API key:
- It covers GPT models only.
- It combines with everything else. Unlike an API key, it doesn't replace your other setup. Keep using camelAI credits or another provider's key for non-GPT models, and your connected OpenAI account handles GPT traffic.
If you already pay for ChatGPT, this is by far the most cost-effective way to run GPT models on camelAI.
Using camelAI on the cheap#
The cheapest model on camelAI is Camel Free, included on every plan at no cost (see Plans & Pricing). Beyond that, model costs vary widely: the cheapest premium models are 10 to 50 times less expensive per request than the flagships, and they handle most everyday work just as well. Pairing a cheaper model with a small OpenRouter top-up is the lowest-cost way to run premium models.
The playbook:
Sign up for OpenRouter
Sign up and add the minimum in credits at openrouter.ai/credits. A small top-up goes a long way with cheap models.
Add the key to camelAI
Add the key under Settings → AI Provider → OpenRouter.
Pick a cheap model in the chat
The most cost-efficient options are:
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: a low-cost option for straightforward coding tasks.
- DeepSeek V4 Pro: stronger reasoning at a still-low price.
- Haiku 4.5: fast and cost-effective for everyday code and copy work.
- Gemini 3 Flash Preview: fast, low-cost, and useful for general iteration.
- Kimi K2.7 Code: competitive on price, particularly strong on long-context tasks.
Reserve flagship models for hard problems
Switch to a flagship model only when a task is genuinely hard (complex reasoning, multi-step debugging, careful design work). Most chat turns don't need one.
OpenRouter shows the live per-token cost for every model on its models page. Sort by price to compare.