Bring your own key (BYOK) vs AISA Cloud credits

What it is

AISA gives you two ways to power its AI. Bring your own key (BYOK) means you connect your own provider API keys and AISA calls them directly from your site; you pay the provider in tokens (cents for hundreds of pages) and you choose the provider and model. AISA Cloud means you add no keys at all: generation runs through the AISA server, the provider is chosen for you automatically, and usage is counted in credits where 1 credit = 1 optimised content item. BYOK suits technical users and agencies who want total control; Cloud suits people who just want it to work with zero setup.

Where to find it

AISA → Credits / AI Access shows your current mode and, in Cloud, your credit balance and a top-up reminder. BYOK keys live in AISA → Settings → API Keys. The whole plugin follows your mode automatically: estimates, end-of-run reports and progress bars show tokens in BYOK and credits in Cloud.

Requirements & tier

BYOK (Free and Premium Solo/Pro/Agency/Studio): a key with at least one supported provider, plus a filled-in Brand Context. Counts tokens.
Cloud: an active Cloud plan with credits — no API keys, no provider setup. Counts credits.
The 1-Click batch (~60% token saving) is included on Pro/Agency/Studio and always on in Cloud; Free uses separate calls.

How to use

Open AISA → Credits / AI Access and look at which mode you are in.
If you want BYOK: go to Settings → API Keys, add and test a provider key (DeepSeek for cheapest text, Claude/OpenAI/Gemini if you also want images), set a default provider or leave it on Auto.
If you want Cloud: activate a Cloud plan; no keys to add. Generation just works and draws down credits.
Run 1-Click SEO or Bulk SEO. Read the pre-run estimate — tokens in BYOK, credits in Cloud.
In Cloud, watch the always-visible credit bar; below 25% a top-up reminder appears. If you top up mid-queue it resumes on its own.

Questions people ask

Which is cheaper? BYOK with DeepSeek is extremely cheap (~€0.0002/item) but you manage keys. Cloud trades a per-credit price for zero setup and automatic provider choice.
Do my keys or content leave my site? In BYOK, keys stay in your database and content goes only to your chosen provider. In Cloud, content passes through the AISA server purely for generation.
Can I pick the provider/model in Cloud? No — the server selects it. Provider and model choice are a BYOK feature.
Does Cloud work on local/staging? Cloud AI needs to reach our server; BYOK is the one that shines fully offline on localhost/staging, letting you optimise before going live.
What is a credit, exactly? 1 credit = 1 optimised content item (one AI call that generates a page's SEO). Image and GEO tasks may cost differently — estimates are shown before you run.
Can I switch later? Yes — the mode is driven by your access setting/licence; the UI adapts its token/credit display automatically.

Troubleshooting

If generation is blocked in BYOK, confirm a provider key is added, enabled and tested, and that the Brand Context business description is filled in. If you are unexpectedly counting tokens when you wanted credits (or vice-versa), check the access mode in Credits / AI Access — the discriminator is whether you are on Cloud (credits) or own-key (tokens). In Cloud, if a run pauses near empty, top up; queued work resumes automatically without losing progress. If Cloud generation fails on a local site, that is the expected limitation — use BYOK for fully offline work.

Connect an AI provider and add your API key
Choosing the model and understanding costs
Supported AI providers and which one to choose
The "Auto" provider option