API keys are secure digital passwords that connect Fuser to AI providers. This guide walks you through setting up keys for the most popular providers, allowing you to unlock the full creative potential of Fuser.
API keys allow external services to access your account on your behalf and to utilize resources and run AI models. Do not post your API keys on social media, share with friends, or store them in publicly accessible locations.
API Keys are unique identifiers that allow Fuser to authenticate with AI providers on your behalf. Think of them as secure passwords that:
By connecting directly to providers, you get transparent, pay-per-use pricing with no markups, access to the latest models as soon as they're released, and the fastest possible performance.
At Fuser, protecting your API keys is one of our highest priorities. We've integrated powerful, industry-standard security systems to ensure your secrets are always safe.
Encrypted in Transit: All communication is protected with TLS encryption. This means that when you add or update a key on Fuser, it is encrypted in on its way to our servers and cannot be intercepted by anyone.
Encrypted at Rest: We use a secure vault to store your API keys. Each key is protected with Authenticated Encryption, meaning it is unreadable even with direct access to our database.
Secure Backups: This protection extends to all system backups. Your keys remain encrypted and cannot be forged or decrypted by unauthorized parties.
Controlled Access: Keys are only decrypted when you run a workflow that needs them, and we've built Fuser to ensure they are never exposed elsewhere.
We recommend setting up providers in this order for the best learning experience:
Fal provides access to the latest and fastest models for generating images, video, and audio.
When adding a new provider, try to test it by generating an output with a compatible node. For example, try to generate an image with a Flux Dev node. If you see an image, your connection is working!
OpenRouter is a powerful tool that gives you access to over 300 AI models, including many free and open-source options.
Many models on OpenRouter are free. For premium models:
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To test your connection, add an OpenRouter node and from the model selection dropdown, select a free model. You can search for models by simply typing free in the model dropdown. If you see a response, your connection is working!
For specific needs, you might want direct access to providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google.
OpenAI direct access is recommended when you need specific models like GPT-4o or require OpenAI's enterprise features. To get started, create an account at platform.openai.com. Once there, you'll need to set up billing and generate a new secret key. After obtaining your key, add it to Fuser under the "OpenAI" provider section.
OpenAI requires ID verification for the GPT Image model. This is a security measure to prevent abuse. You can learn more about how to verify your ID or start the verification process by visiting Organization Settings on the OpenAI platform.
Direct access to Anthropic is ideal when you want high-performance access to Claude models for advanced reasoning tasks. Begin by creating an account at console.anthropic.com. You'll need to purchase credits and generate an API key. Once you have your key, add it to Fuser under the "Anthropic" provider section.
Google AI integration is useful when you want to leverage Gemini models or, especially the Gemini image generation capabilities, and integrate with Google's AI services. To get started, visit aistudio.google.com to obtain an API key. Once you have your key, add it to Fuser under the "Google AI" provider section.
Runway is a great option for video generation tasks. To get started, create an account at dev.runwayml.com. From your account settings, you can generate an API key. Once you have your key, add it to Fuser under the "Runway" provider section.
Most providers offer a way to automatically top-up your credits when you're running low. This is a great way to ensure you never run out of credits and can continue to use Fuser without interruption.
The option to enable auto top-up is usually found in the provider's dashboard, under the "Billing" or "Credits" section. For example, on the Fal dashboard, you can enable auto top-up by clicking the "Automated top ups" button. When triggered, the provider will send you an email with the details of the purchase.
Auto top-up is a convenient way to ensure you never run out of credits and don't have to manually add credits to your provider account.
Most providers have "threshold" settings that you can adjust. Auto top-up will only be triggered when your credits are below the threshold. For example, when your balance goes below the threshold of $5, an automatic purchase of $10 will be made. You can adjust both the threshold and the amount to purchase.
You can also set a maximum amount to prevent over-spending.
You can manage all your keys from the API Keys tab in Settings.
⋯ button next to an existing provider, choose "Update," and paste the new key.⋯ button next to an existing provider and select "Delete."Removing an API key will immediately disable all nodes using that provider. Ensure you have alternatives set up before removing a key.
Fuser provides a direct link to the provider dashboard for each provider. Select a provider from the dropdown and a link to the provider dashboard will appear in the description.
Treat your API keys like passwords. Follow these practices to keep your accounts secure.
If a key isn't working, try these steps:
Check the Key Format: Ensure the key you pasted is correct and has no extra spaces, newlines, or other non-alphanumeric characters.
sk-...sk-or-...sk-ant-...AIza...key-...Verify Account Status: Make sure your provider account is active, verified, and has sufficient credits or a valid payment method.
Test Outside Fuser: Use the provider's own playground or a simple API call to confirm the key is working independently.
Check for Rate Limiting: If you get "too many requests" errors, wait a few minutes before trying again. New accounts often have lower rate limits, and as you use more credits, your rate limit will increase.
Now that your API keys are set up, you're ready to start creating: