Getting an API Key
Jotaid's AI runs on your own key, so before configuring anything you need one from a provider. This page is the list of doors.
The General Flow
Interfaces differ, the steps rarely do:
- Create an account — an email address, sometimes a phone number
- Add credit or a payment method — most are prepaid; a small top-up is enough to start
- Create an API key — under API Keys or similar in the console
- Copy it immediately — nearly every service shows the key once; close the dialog and it is gone for good, leaving only regeneration
- Paste it into Jotaid — Settings → AI API, pick the provider, paste
Keys are shown once
This is the norm everywhere. If you did not save it, generate a new one and delete the old — no need to agonise.
Where to Go
Exact paths change as providers redesign; the official site is the authority.
Natively Supported
| Provider | Console | Key looks like |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | platform.openai.com → API keys | starts sk- |
| Anthropic Claude | console.anthropic.com → API Keys | starts sk-ant- |
| Google Gemini | aistudio.google.com → Get API key | an alphanumeric string |
| DeepSeek | platform.deepseek.com → API keys | starts sk- |
| Moonshot (Kimi) | platform.moonshot.cn → API key management | starts sk- |
OpenAI-compatible Services
These go in as a "custom provider" — a base URL and a key:
| Provider | Console |
|---|---|
| Groq | console.groq.com |
| OpenRouter | openrouter.ai → Keys |
| Together AI | api.together.xyz |
| Mistral | console.mistral.ai |
| xAI (Grok) | console.x.ai |
| Zhipu (GLM) | open.bigmodel.cn |
| Qwen (DashScope) | dashscope.console.aliyun.com |
| SiliconFlow | cloud.siliconflow.cn |
| Fireworks AI | fireworks.ai |
| Perplexity | perplexity.ai → Settings → API |
Jotaid ships a base-URL preset for every one of these, so picking the preset fills that in and leaves you only the key to paste.
Local Models Need No Key
Ollama runs on your own machine: no key, no bill. Install it, pull a model, and select the Ollama preset in Jotaid (default address http://localhost:11434/v1).
The trade-off is your hardware and the models it can hold — a small local model is noticeably weaker at long-document analysis than a hosted one. In exchange it is entirely offline: not a byte of your notes leaves the machine.
The Built-in Line-up Varies by Region
The list of native providers in the app follows your App Store region: some regions list DeepSeek and Kimi by default, others list OpenAI, Claude and Gemini.
The custom-provider path is unaffected — any region can enter the base URL and key of any OpenAI-compatible endpoint.
Keeping Costs in Hand
- Most services are prepaid: you spend what you topped up and it stops there, with no surprise bill
- Set a cap where one is offered: OpenAI and others allow a monthly spend limit — worth setting from the start
- Jotaid bills nothing in between and cannot see your usage; the bill exists only at the provider
Every AI call in Jotaid is one you triggered (tapping Smart Node, Smart Format, and so on). There is no background polling, so nothing is consumed without your knowing.
Where the Key Lives
A key you paste into Jotaid is stored in the system Keychain:
- Not in iCloud, and not synced with your notes
- Not in backups — you re-enter it after switching devices
- Used only when you trigger an AI feature, to call that provider
Next Steps
- AI Setup — Entering the key and choosing models
- AI Features — What becomes available once it is in
- Plans & Pricing — Pro and AI usage are two separate bills