API Keys Setup

RespectASO Pro requires an API key from at least one LLM provider to power AI features.

Privacy: Your API keys are stored locally on your machine with file permissions 600 (only your user account can read them). Keys are never sent anywhere except to the chosen provider's API.

OpenAI

  1. Go to platform.openai.com and sign in (or create an account)
  2. Navigate to API Keys in your dashboard
  3. Click Create new secret key
  4. Copy the key (starts with sk-)
  5. In RespectASO, go to Settings → AI
  6. Paste the key in the OpenAI field and save

RespectASO always includes the latest OpenAI models. You can choose between them in Settings → AI.

Anthropic

  1. Go to console.anthropic.com and sign in
  2. Navigate to API Keys
  3. Click Create Key
  4. Copy the key (starts with sk-ant-)
  5. In RespectASO, go to Settings → AI
  6. Paste the key in the Anthropic field and save

RespectASO always includes the latest Claude models. You can choose between them in Settings → AI.

Google Gemini

  1. Go to aistudio.google.com
  2. Click Get API key
  3. Create a key in an existing or new project
  4. Copy the key
  5. In RespectASO, go to Settings → AI
  6. Paste the key in the Google Gemini field and save

RespectASO always includes the latest Gemini models. You can choose between them in Settings → AI.

OpenRouter

  1. Go to openrouter.ai/keys and sign in (or create an account)
  2. Click Create Key
  3. Copy the key (starts with sk-or-)
  4. In RespectASO, go to Settings → AI
  5. Paste the key in the OpenRouter field and save

Model selection works differently for OpenRouter. Instead of picking from a curated list, you enter any OpenRouter model ID in the format vendor/model-name (for example deepseek/deepseek-chat) - free :free models work too. You can browse compatible models at openrouter.ai/models. After entering a model ID, click Test model - the model can only be used after the compatibility test passes. If the test fails, RespectASO tells you the model is not compatible and shows why. The Validate button checks your key for free - no credits are consumed.

OpenRouter routes your request onward to the host of the model you select, giving you access to hundreds of models - including budget options like DeepSeek - through a single key.

Choosing a Provider

All four providers produce excellent results. Here's a quick comparison:

Provider Best For Cost
OpenAI Broad compatibility, fast responses Pay-per-use
Anthropic Nuanced analysis, safety-focused Pay-per-use
Google Gemini Free tier, large context window Free tier + pay-per-use
OpenRouter Hundreds of models through one key, budget options Pay-per-use (free models available)
Local AI No per-query cost, full privacy, offline Free — runs on your Mac

You only need one provider configured. You can switch between them anytime from Settings → AI.

No cloud key? Choose Local AI to run a model on your own Mac with no API key and no per-query cost. See Local AI Models for setup.