On a paid Flex plan you can connect your own OpenRouter API key (often called “bring your own key”). Once the key is connected, AI generation in Upwex runs on your OpenRouter balance instead of your AI Credits. Upwex sets no credit limits on these requests – you pay OpenRouter directly for what you use.

Who can use it

  • Teams on a paid Flex subscription
  • The own key is not available during the free trial. It unlocks once you subscribe to Flex.

Step 1 – Create a key at OpenRouter

Sign in at openrouter.ai, open Settings → Keys and create a new API key. Copy it right away and keep it somewhere safe.

Step 2 – Top up your OpenRouter balance

AI requests made with your key are paid from your OpenRouter balance, so add funds there before you connect the key. A key with no balance cannot serve requests.

Step 3 – Open the key window in Upwex

Sign in to account.upwex.io and open the key window from either place:

  • Tools & Apps in the left sidebar – the OpenRouter card with a Connect button
  • Billing – the OpenRouter key card with a Connect button

Click Connect.

Step 4 – Paste the key and save it

Paste the key from OpenRouter and click Validate & Save Key. Upwex checks the key with OpenRouter before saving it, so a mistyped or revoked key is rejected at this step.

What you see after connecting

The OpenRouter card shows the end of your key as ****1234 (the last 4 characters of your key) and a green Active status. From now on, AI actions in Upwex run on your OpenRouter balance and do not use AI Credits.

Key statuses

  • Active (green) – the key works and AI runs on it
  • Invalid (red) – OpenRouter no longer accepts the key, for example because it was deleted or revoked
  • No balance (red) – the key is valid, but your OpenRouter balance is empty

If the key stops working

Your work is not interrupted. When the key fails or runs out of OpenRouter balance, AI automatically falls back to your plan credits. A red banner appears in Upwex, for example “Your OpenRouter key failed – AI now runs on your plan credits”, or a similar message saying the key has no balance.

Click Update in the banner to open the key window. Paste a working key, or top up your OpenRouter balance first and then save the key again.

Replace the key

Click Update on the OpenRouter card (Tools & Apps or Billing), paste the new key and click Validate & Update Key. The new key is checked the same way before it replaces the old one.

Remove the key

Click the trash icon on the OpenRouter card on the Tools & Apps page. After that, AI runs on your plan credits again.

How it shows in usage history

On the AI Credits page, actions served on your own key appear in Usage History with an Own AI key badge. They do not use credits, so your credit balance stays the same.

Privacy and security

Your key is stored encrypted. Upwex never shows the full key again after you save it – only its last 4 characters, so you can tell which key is connected.

Related articles