BYOK (bring your own key)
Using your own API key with a tool, so you pay the model provider directly instead of paying the tool a marked-up rate.
Most AI writing tools resell inference: you pay them, they pay the provider, and the difference is their margin. BYOK inverts that — you hold the key, you see the provider's own bill, and the tool charges only for being a tool.
The trade-off is setup. You need an account with a provider and a key pasted into settings. In exchange you get provider choice, no per-word anxiety, and a bill you can audit.
BYOK (bring your own key) in NovelKnow
Both models are supported. With your own key NovelKnow never marks up what your provider charges. Hosted credits exist for people who would rather not manage a key: one credit equals one micro-dollar of the upstream cost, so the accounting stays legible either way.