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BYOK vs Managed: how AI works

Technical differences between the Advanced (BYOK) plan and Premium (managed AI with included credits).

Base is the free tier without AI. Advanced and Premium add AI: they differ based on who manages the provider API keys and who pays for AI calls.

Feature Advanced (BYOK) Premium (managed)
AI API keys Yours, configured in the plugin From geocite22.com, transparent to you
AI billing Directly to the provider Included in the fee (monthly credits)
Key rotation You manage it We manage it
Provider failover No (you call the provider you choose) Yes, automatic via ProviderRouter
Budget cap Native to the provider Credit allowance with 3× cap
Credits included None 2,000 / 5,000 / 15,000 per month
One-time top-up Not applicable Yes (1,000 / 5,000 / 15,000 credits)
Content privacy Content goes directly to the provider Content goes through the proxy, not logged in plain text
Voucher eligible No Yes
Setup complexity Medium (API key management) Minimal (zero config)

When to choose Advanced

  • You already have an enterprise account with Anthropic/OpenAI/Gemini and want to use those rates.
  • You have high generation volumes and Premium’s 2.5–3× markup is not cost-effective.
  • You have compliance constraints that require you to keep direct control of API keys.
  • You are an agency reselling to your own clients and want to manage the margin yourself.

When to choose Premium

  • You want to use AI right away without creating accounts on 5 different providers.
  • You don’t want to manage rotation, budget alerts, failover, key encryption.
  • You prefer a predictable fee instead of variable provider bills.
  • You want to take advantage of vouchers and credit top-ups as promotional offers.