Provider keys let you use your own model provider accounts instead of Coroid-routed models. Usage is then billed by that provider directly to you, at whatever rates you have negotiated.
Manage them under Settings → Provider keys.
When to use your own keys
BYOK is worth adopting if you already have provider agreements, committed spend, or a procurement requirement that the model vendor be a direct supplier.
If none of those apply, Coroid-routed models with prepaid credits are simpler, and Coroid adds no markup to provider token rates either way. The choice relates to contracting, not price. no extra charge to provider token rates either way. The decision hinges on contracting, not price.
How keys are handled
- They are encrypted at rest.
- They are Never returned. Once saved, a key cannot be read back via the interface or the API. You can replace it; you cannot retrieve it.
- They are Never exported. Settings export bundles contain a placeholder, not the secret. See Export and import settings.
This write-only approach is intentional. A credential that can be read back can be exfiltrated by anyone with read access.
Rotating keys
Replace the key with the new value. In-flight work carries on using the original connection; new work uses the new key.
Rotate keys according to your provider's schedule and whenever an admin leaves. There is no way for Coroid to tell if a key has been used elsewhere — that is what your provider's audit log is for.
Scoping keys
Where your provider supports scoped or restricted keys, use one. A key limited to the models and spend cap you assign to Coroid poses a much smaller risk if it is ever exposed.
Set a spend limit at the provider. This is the only hard ceiling that exists — Coroid's own limits affect capacity, not your provider bill.
Falling back to other options
If a key is invalid, expired, or has hit its provider limit, model calls using it fail. Work does not silently switch to another provider — that would be an unexpected use of someone else's money.
Fix the key, and queued work resumes.