Connect your OpenRouter key

When you're done, your Chirps answer using the AI account you pay for.

Who can do this: the account owner, on any plan (Essentials, Creator, Business or Academy).

What you'll need: an OpenRouter account with some credit, and a key from it. If you don't have one yet, make your OpenRouter account and key first.

OpenRouter is the service that runs the AI models your Chirps use. Chirp Builder never pays for your Chirps' conversations: OpenRouter charges your account for each answer, so you choose the models and control the spending.

Connect your key

1. In the menu, click Settings.

2. Scroll to AI provider: OpenRouter.

   

3. In Paste your key (1), paste the key you copied from OpenRouter. It starts with sk-or-.

4. Click Check & save (2). Chirp Builder checks the key with OpenRouter before saving it.

   

What success looks like

The card shows Connected and Key ending in the last four characters of your key. If OpenRouter reports it, you also see your OpenRouter balance and how much of the key's own limit is left.

Your key is encrypted and only ever sent to OpenRouter. It's never shown again, here or on your Chirps.

Keep your spending in check

At OpenRouter, open Keys, edit this key and set a credit limit (for example $20 a month). A busy Chirp then can't spend more than you plan.

If it doesn't work

When you first click Check & save, a problem shows as a message and the key isn't saved:

• "OpenRouter doesn't recognize this key. It may have been deleted or typed wrong." Copy the key again, or make a new one, and paste it.
• "This key has expired. Create a new one at OpenRouter."
• "Couldn't reach OpenRouter to check this key. Try again in a minute."
• "Key saved, but the OpenRouter account needs credit before your Chirps can answer." The key is fine: add credit at OpenRouter, then click Check again.

Once a key is saved, the card shows its status. Invalid key means it was deleted or changed at OpenRouter: make a new one and click Replace. Insufficient credits means the account needs credit. Connection error means OpenRouter didn't answer: wait a minute and click Check again.

Change or remove the key

• Check again asks OpenRouter whether the key still works.
• Replace lets you paste a new key (for example after you made a new one at OpenRouter).
• Remove deletes the key from Chirp Builder. Your Chirps stop answering until you connect a key again (unless their workspace has its own key).