AI Visibility — your own API keys

AI Visibility queries each AI model on your behalf, which needs an API key for that model. You have two options. With Managed AI, CrunchJunkie supplies the keys — we run the models on our own platform keys, metered by check under a monthly Managed AI plan (from €25/mo, €0.05/check overage), with nothing to set up. Or you can bring your own API key for each model and pay the provider directly. You can mix the two and switch anytime — for example, use your own OpenAI key but Managed AI for the rest. Either way, keys are stored encrypted (AES-256-GCM) and used only to run your scans. The sections below show how to get your own key from each provider.

Create an account at platform.openai.com. IMPORTANT: OpenAI API access is pay-as-you-go and is billed SEPARATELY from any ChatGPT subscription — a ChatGPT Plus, Team or Business plan does NOT include API access, and its login/keys won't work here. This is the single most common mistake. So first, under Settings → Billing at platform.openai.com, add a payment method and a little credit. Then open platform.openai.com/api-keys, click "Create new secret key", name it "CrunchJunkie", and copy it — it's shown only once. Paste it into CrunchJunkie. When you connect a key, CrunchJunkie runs a quick real test generation and rejects a key that has no credits or billing on the spot — so you're never left thinking you're set up when you're not. A valid key powers both the ChatGPT visibility model (currently GPT-5.6 with web search) and CrunchJunkie's own AI (report summaries and the Crunch assistant). If you'd rather not set up OpenAI billing at all, a Claude or Gemini key works just as well for CrunchJunkie AI, or use Managed AI.

Go to aistudio.google.com and sign in with a Google account. Open aistudio.google.com/apikey ("Get API key") and click "Create API key". Gemini has a free tier you can start with; for higher rate limits and reliable web-search grounding, link a Google Cloud project that has billing enabled. Copy the key and paste it into CrunchJunkie. This powers the Gemini (web search) model — also the model offered free during the trial via Managed AI.

Sign in at perplexity.ai and open Settings → API (perplexity.ai/settings/api). Add a payment method or buy credits — API access is billed separately from a Perplexity Pro subscription — then generate an API key and copy it. Paste it into CrunchJunkie. This powers the Perplexity Sonar Pro model.

Create an account at console.anthropic.com and add billing/credits under Plan & Billing. Then go to Settings → API Keys (console.anthropic.com/settings/keys), create a key, and copy it. Paste it into CrunchJunkie. This powers the Claude (web search) model.

Sign in at console.x.ai with your X / xAI account, add billing, then open the API Keys section, create a key and copy it. Paste it into CrunchJunkie. This powers the Grok (web search) model.

Create an account at platform.deepseek.com and top up your balance under Billing / Top up. Open the API keys section, create a key and copy it. Paste it into CrunchJunkie. This powers the DeepSeek model.

Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode answers are read through SerpAPI rather than a direct model API. Sign up at serpapi.com and find your key on the dashboard (serpapi.com/manage-api-key) — there's a free monthly search allowance, with paid plans for higher volume. Paste the key into CrunchJunkie. This powers the Google AI Overviews and Google AI Mode models.

All API keys live in one place: Settings → AI & API Keys. Paste each provider's key once, then choose what it powers with the toggles beside it — "Use for AI-Visibility tracking" (scan that model) and, for the providers that also run CrunchJunkie's own AI (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini), "Power CrunchJunkie AI" (report summaries, anomaly detection and the Crunch assistant). So a single OpenAI key can drive both your ChatGPT visibility scans and your report summaries — no need to enter it twice. Keys are encrypted at rest (AES-256-GCM) and used only for the purposes you enable; you can remove one at any time. If a key later expires or runs out of credit, it's flagged in "Needs attention" on the Integrations page, so a scan never fails silently. Prefer not to manage keys at all? Turn on Managed AI for any model and we'll run it on our key for a flat monthly price.