BYOK: what your own AI key is and why you pay less

BYOK stands for "Bring Your Own Key." In Langless, that means you create an API key at an AI provider (OpenAI or Gemini) and plug it into the app. The translation then runs on your AI account, and you pay for the minutes directly to the provider, with no margin from us. This guide explains BYOK for anyone who has never heard the term and shows why it makes translation cheaper.

What an AI key is

An API key is like a password that gives the app access to the AI service on your account. Instead of Langless using "its own account" to translate, it uses your account at the provider (OpenAI or Gemini). It’s like connecting your own electricity meter: you consume and pay for what you use, straight at the source.

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Why BYOK is cheaper

Many translation services buy AI minutes wholesale and resell them to you with a margin (markup) on top. With BYOK, that middleman disappears:

• You pay the provider’s list price, with no add-on from us.
• The cost is around ~US$ 0.03 per minute of audio (on OpenAI, on average ~US$ 0.034/min — always confirm with the provider, since prices change).
• You only pay for what you actually use: no minute bundles expiring, no monthly translation minimum.

Our subscription (from US$ 25/month) covers the app and its features; the translation itself is your direct usage at the provider. See the full math in how much it costs to translate a meeting with AI.

Where your key is stored

Your key stays in your browser, on your device. Our server does not store your key: it’s used to talk to the AI provider and that’s it. This means you stay in control — you can revoke the key in the provider’s dashboard at any time, and it stops working immediately.

Best practices with your key:

• Don’t share the key with anyone or paste it into unknown sites.
• Set a spending limit in the provider’s dashboard, if it offers one.
• If you suspect a leak, revoke the old key and generate a new one.

How to start using BYOK

It’s three steps:

1. Create an account at the provider and generate an API key — see how to get an AI API key.
2. Choose between the supported providers — compare in OpenAI or Gemini for voice translation.
3. Paste the key into the Langless app and start translating.