Getting API Keys

Step-by-step guides for obtaining API keys from major AI providers.

Why Get API Keys?

API keys let you use your own accounts with AI providers (BYOK - Bring Your Own Key). This gives you:

  • Unlimited usage (no Tiny Land rate limits)
  • Access to all models from that provider
  • Direct billing from provider (pay only for what you use)
  • Lower costs for heavy usage

See API Keys (BYOK) Guide for more on using API keys in Tiny Land.

OpenAI (GPT Models)

Getting Your OpenAI API Key

  1. Go to platform.openai.com
  2. Sign up for an account or log in
  3. Click your profile icon (top right)
  4. Select View API Keys
  5. Click + Create new secret key
  6. Give it a name (e.g., "Tiny Land")
  7. Click Create secret key
  8. Important: Copy your key immediately (starts with sk-...)
  9. Store it securely - you won't be able to see it again!

Setting Up Billing

  1. Go to Billing section
  2. Click Add payment method
  3. Enter credit card information
  4. Set a monthly spending limit (recommended: start with $10-20)
  5. Save payment details

Pricing

GPT-5: $0.03-0.06 per message GPT-4.5: $0.01-0.02 per message GPT-4 Turbo: $0.005-0.015 per message

Costs vary by message length. See OpenAI Pricing for details.

Usage Limits

New accounts have usage limits that increase over time based on spending history. Check your limits at: Account → Usage Limits.

Anthropic (Claude Models)

Getting Your Anthropic API Key

  1. Go to console.anthropic.com
  2. Sign up or log in
  3. Navigate to API Keys (left sidebar)
  4. Click Create Key
  5. Give it a name (e.g., "Tiny Land")
  6. Click Create Key
  7. Copy your key (starts with sk-ant-...)
  8. Store securely!

Setting Up Billing

  1. Go to Billing in the console
  2. Click Add payment method
  3. Enter payment information
  4. Purchase credits (minimum $5, recommended $20+ for testing)

Pricing

Claude Opus 4.5: $0.05-0.12 per message Claude Sonnet 4.5: $0.015-0.04 per message Claude Haiku 4.5: $0.003-0.008 per message

See Anthropic Pricing for current rates.

Credits System

Anthropic uses a prepaid credit system. Purchase credits in advance, and they're deducted as you use the API. Set up auto-reload to avoid interruptions.

Google (Gemini Models)

Getting Your Google AI API Key

  1. Go to Google AI Studio
  2. Sign in with your Google account
  3. Click Get API key
  4. Select or create a Google Cloud project
  5. Click Create API key
  6. Copy your API key
  7. Store securely

Pricing

Gemini 2.5 Pro: $0.01-0.03 per message Gemini 2.5 Flash: $0.001-0.006 per message FREE TIER: - 15 requests per minute - 1 million tokens per day - Great for personal use!

Gemini has a generous free tier! See Google AI Pricing.

Free Tier Benefits

Google's free tier is perfect for personal use. No credit card required for free tier access. Upgrade to paid only if you exceed free limits.

DeepSeek

Getting Your DeepSeek API Key

  1. Go to platform.deepseek.com
  2. Sign up or log in
  3. Navigate to API Keys
  4. Click Create new API key
  5. Name your key
  6. Copy the generated key
  7. Store securely

Pricing

DeepSeek Chat: $0.001-0.003 per message DeepSeek Coder: $0.001-0.003 per message (One of the most affordable options!)

Credits

DeepSeek uses a prepaid credit system. Purchase credits in advance at very competitive rates.

Other Providers

Mistral AI

Website: console.mistral.ai

Process similar to Anthropic - create account, generate API key, add payment method.

Cohere

Website: dashboard.cohere.com

Free tier available. Create account and generate API key in dashboard.

Adding Keys to Tiny Land

Once You Have Your Key

  1. Log in to Tiny Land
  2. Go to Settings → API Keys
  3. Click + Add API Key
  4. Select the provider
  5. Paste your API key
  6. Give it a nickname (optional)
  7. Click Save
  8. Tiny Land will verify the key

See Full API Keys Guide for detailed usage instructions.

Cost Management Tips

Set Spending Limits

  • OpenAI: Set monthly spending limit in Billing settings
  • Anthropic: Only purchase credits you're comfortable spending
  • Google: Set up billing alerts in Google Cloud Console
  • DeepSeek: Purchase small amounts initially

Monitor Usage

  • Check provider dashboards regularly
  • Review Tiny Land usage stats in Settings
  • Set up email alerts for high usage
  • Start with small credit purchases

Start Small

Begin with $10-20 in credits to test. You can always add more as needed.

Security Best Practices

Protecting Your API Keys

  • Never share API keys publicly
  • Don't commit keys to Git repositories
  • Store keys in password manager
  • Rotate keys periodically (every 3-6 months)
  • Delete unused keys immediately

If Your Key is Compromised

  1. Immediately delete the key from provider dashboard
  2. Generate a new key
  3. Update Tiny Land with the new key
  4. Review recent usage for unauthorized activity
  5. Contact provider if suspicious charges appear

Usage Monitoring

  • Check usage daily for first week
  • Set up billing alerts
  • Review unusual spikes in usage
  • Keep spending limits conservative initially

Troubleshooting

Key Not Working

  • Verify you copied the entire key (no spaces)
  • Check key is active in provider dashboard
  • Ensure billing is set up
  • Confirm you have available credits/balance
  • Try regenerating the key

Rate Limit Errors

  • New accounts often have lower rate limits
  • Limits increase with usage history
  • Wait a few minutes and try again
  • Consider upgrading account tier

Payment Issues

  • Verify payment method is valid
  • Check for sufficient funds
  • Review billing alerts/emails from provider
  • Contact provider support if issues persist
💡 Recommended Setup: Start with Google Gemini (free tier) or DeepSeek (very cheap) to test. Once you're chatting regularly, add OpenAI or Anthropic keys for premium quality.
Using API Keys in Tiny Land →Available Models →Choosing the Right Model →