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BYOK (Bring Your Own Key)

Starcat AI uses a bring-your-own-key model: after you configure a provider and API key under Settings → AI, requests go to the endpoint you specify. This is the current, shipping configuration path — not a “coming soon” feature. Using AI still requires Pro (see Plan comparison).

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Benefits

  • Quota control: use your own API account and billing
  • Clear path: requests go straight to your configured endpoint
  • Flexible models: switch Chat / Embedding models per task

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Supported providers (examples)

The live list in Settings → AI is authoritative.

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Setup steps

  1. Confirm Pro is purchased and active
  2. Open Settings → AI
  3. Add a provider; enter API key / Base URL if needed
  4. Assign models for summary, chat, embedding, translation, and other tasks
  5. Use Test connection to confirm it works
See AI configuration for step-by-step details.

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Security

  • API keys are encrypted with AES-GCM and stored in the macOS Keychain
  • Starcat does not upload your key in plaintext to its own business servers
  • Keep keys safe and set usage limits in your provider console

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FAQ

No. Compatible endpoints, DeepSeek, OpenRouter, Ollama, and others work — follow the list in Settings.
Keys stay in the local Keychain; requests go to your configured provider. See Privacy.
Check that you configured an Embedding model separately — Chat alone is not enough. See AI configuration.
Last modified on July 22, 2026