Bring Your Own Key (OpenRouter)
SeoFreshUp uses your own AI provider account so you pay AI costs directly with no markup. The recommended provider is OpenRouter because a single key gives access to Claude, GPT, Gemini, Llama, Mistral, DeepSeek and image-generation models.
Why OpenRouter?
- One key, all models: instead of separate accounts for OpenAI + Anthropic + Google, OpenRouter aggregates them.
- No SaaS markup: you pay the same per-token rate as if you went directly to the model provider.
- Easy switching: change the model in settings without changing the key.
- Predictable billing: top up a credit balance, you can never be surprised by a bill.
Step 1 — Create an OpenRouter account
- Go to openrouter.ai and click Sign in
- Sign up with Google, GitHub, or email
- Verify your email if prompted
Step 2 — Add credits
OpenRouter works on a prepaid credit model (no monthly subscription, no surprise bills).
- Go to openrouter.ai/credits
- Click Add credits, choose an amount ($5 is enough to start — see costs below)
- Pay with card. Credits appear instantly.
Typical costs at OpenRouter rates
| Action | Cost |
|---|---|
| Audit verdict per article (gpt-4o-mini) | ~$0.001 |
| Risk analysis per article (gpt-4o-mini) | ~$0.001 |
| AI rewrite per article (Claude Haiku 4.5) | ~$0.005 |
| AI featured image (Gemini Nano Banana) | ~$0.04 |
| Firecrawl URL enrichment per URL | ~$0.04 (image gen) + Firecrawl free tier |
For a 1000-article blog: $2-5 total for a full audit + 100 rewrites. $5 of credits goes a long way.
Step 3 — Generate an API key
- Go to openrouter.ai/keys
- Click Create Key
- Name it something like
seofreshup-blog(so you can revoke it specifically later) - Click Create
- Copy the key now (it starts with
sk-or-...) — you can’t see it again after closing the dialog
Step 4 — Paste the key into SeoFreshUp
- In WordPress admin, go to 🌿 SeoFreshUp → Settings → API Keys & Models
- Paste the key in the OpenRouter API Key field
- Click 🔌 Test the key — you should see ✓ valid
- Click Save Changes at the bottom
Your AI features are now active. The key is stored in your WordPress database (encrypted at rest if your DB is encrypted), and never leaves your server except in calls to api.openrouter.ai.
Choosing models
The default models are:
| Role | Default | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Standard analysis | openai/gpt-4o-mini | Fast, cheap, good quality |
| Deep analysis (risk) | (uses standard if not set) | Override for higher quality |
| Rewrite | anthropic/claude-haiku-4.5 | Long-form content, follows instructions well |
| Image generation | google/gemini-3-pro-image-preview | Fast image gen with native 16:9 |
You can change any of these in 🌿 SeoFreshUp → Settings → API Keys & Models.
Alternative: direct OpenAI or Anthropic
If you prefer to use OpenAI or Anthropic directly:
- OpenAI: get a key at platform.openai.com/api-keys, models like
openai/gpt-5-miniwork but the model selector dropdown is OpenRouter-styled (you can type a custom model ID in the “Custom” field). - Anthropic: get a key at console.anthropic.com.
OpenRouter is recommended for simplicity, but the plugin works with either.
Security notes
- Your API key is stored in
wp_optionstable, in the optionlws_audit_openrouter_key - Restrict your key on OpenRouter to only the models you actually use, to limit exposure if leaked
- Generate a new key for each WP site if you manage multiple — easier to revoke individually
- Never share the key publicly (it equals money on your account)