Does OpenAI have a free tier?
No permanent free tier. The API is prepaid pay-as-you-go with a $5 minimum top-up; promotional trial credit appears occasionally — check the Billing page.
OpenAI: get an API key and write fiction with it on your phone
One key covers prose, gpt-image illustrations, and TTS narration — the widest modality spread from a single provider here. This page is the BYOK quick answer for OpenAI: key steps, direct console and pricing links, and the app-side notes that matter. Verified 2026-07-18.
Two links up front: get your key at the official console and check rates on the official pricing page. Prices and free quotas move; the official pages are authoritative.
What does it power inside Foreverse?
The factory preset declares 4 modality flags for OpenAI. The models actually available come from the live catalog fetched in-app — catalogs move fast, and the flag only means the protocol wiring is ready.
| Modality | Used for |
|---|---|
| Text | Continuation · roleplay chat · agent |
| Vision | Image understanding in chat |
| Image | Scene illustration · moment cards · comics |
| Speech | Audiobook narration · character voice |
How do I get a OpenAI API key?
- Sign in at platform.openai.com. The API is billed separately from ChatGPT — a Plus subscription includes no API credit.
- Open Settings → Billing, add a card and buy prepaid credits ($5 minimum; usage draws from this balance).
- Go to API keys in the sidebar → Create new secret key, and give it a recognizable name.
- The key (starts with sk-) is shown exactly once — copy it immediately.
Key in hand: three steps to connect
- Open the app's Settings → AI models & services and find OpenAI in the list (one of 62 presets, with logo and search).
- Paste the key and tap the connectivity test — it fires one real request to verify key and network, and pulls back the model list while it's at it.
- Enable the models you want, then set per-modality defaults (text, image, speech, and video each get their own); continuation, chat, and listening route through them from then on.
The one universal host pitfall: the API host must include its full version prefix (this provider's exact form is in the notes below) — the app never appends /v1 for you.
OpenAI-specific notes
The preset host is https://api.openai.com/v1 — leave it as is. Set text, image, and speech defaults separately under default models. A zero balance returns insufficient_quota, so top up before running the connectivity test.
FAQ
Where does the key live once I paste it into the app?
It's stored on your device only, under system-level encryption — never uploaded or synced to any Foreverse server. Requests go straight from your phone to the provider's official endpoint with zero markup. To revoke access, delete the key in the provider's console.