API Key Setup Guide

CiteMetrix uses your own API keys to query AI platforms. Here’s how to get one from each platform — it’s faster than you’d think. Plus, our Platform Registry lets you add unlimited custom platforms.

Perplexity

Search-first AI • Recommended to set up first

Why Perplexity? It’s the most search-oriented AI platform, making it one of the most important for brand visibility. We recommend setting this one up first.

1. Go to the Perplexity API portal

   Open perplexity.ai/settings/api in your browser. You’ll need to sign in with your Perplexity account (or create a free one).

2. Add billing (prepaid credits)

   Perplexity uses a prepaid credit model. Click “Buy Credits” and add a small amount ($5 is plenty to start). You only pay for what you use.

3. Generate your API key

   Click “Generate” to create a new API key. Give it a name like “CiteMetrix” so you can identify it later.

4. Copy and paste into CiteMetrix

   Copy the key (it starts with pplx-). In your CiteMetrix dashboard, go to Settings and paste it into the Perplexity API Key field. Click Save.

Important: Copy the key immediately — Perplexity only shows it once. If you lose it, you’ll need to generate a new one.

OpenAI (ChatGPT)

Powers ChatGPT • Largest user base

1. Go to the OpenAI API dashboard

   Open platform.openai.com/api-keys. Sign in with your OpenAI account (the same one you use for ChatGPT, or create a new one).

2. Add billing

   Go to Settings → Billing in the left sidebar and add a payment method. You can set a monthly spending limit (we recommend $10–20 to start). You only pay for what you use.

3. Create an API key

   Go to API Keys in the left sidebar and click “Create new secret key.” Name it “CiteMetrix” and click Create.

4. Copy and paste into CiteMetrix

   Copy the key (it starts with sk-). In your CiteMetrix dashboard, go to Settings and paste it into the OpenAI API Key field. Click Save.

Important: Copy the key immediately — OpenAI only shows it once. If you lose it, you’ll need to create a new one.

Note: The API platform is separate from a ChatGPT Plus subscription. Having ChatGPT Plus does not give you API access — you need to add billing to the API platform separately.

Anthropic (Claude)

Powers Claude AI • Strong in research and analysis

1. Go to the Anthropic Console

   Open console.anthropic.com and sign in (or create an account). This is separate from the claude.ai chat interface.

2. Add billing

   Go to Settings → Billing and add a payment method. You can set a spending limit to control costs.

3. Create an API key

   Go to API Keys in the left sidebar and click “Create Key.” Name it “CiteMetrix” and click Create.

4. Copy and paste into CiteMetrix

   Copy the key (it starts with sk-ant-). In your CiteMetrix dashboard, go to Settings and paste it into the Anthropic API Key field. Click Save.

Important: Copy the key immediately — Anthropic only shows it once.

Google Gemini

Google’s AI • Free tier available

Good news: Google offers a generous free tier for Gemini API access, so you can start at zero cost.

1. Go to Google AI Studio

   Open aistudio.google.com/apikey and sign in with your Google account.

2. Create an API key

   Click “Create API Key.” Google will ask you to select a Google Cloud project (or create one automatically). This is normal — just accept the defaults.

3. Copy and paste into CiteMetrix

   Copy the key (it starts with AIza). In your CiteMetrix dashboard, go to Settings and paste it into the Gemini API Key field. Click Save.

No billing needed: The Gemini free tier includes enough requests for typical CiteMetrix usage. Google will notify you if you approach any limits.

xAI (Grok)

Powers Grok on X/Twitter • Free monthly credits

Good news: xAI provides $25 in free API credits per month, which is more than enough for CiteMetrix scans.

1. Go to the xAI Console

   Open console.x.ai and sign in with your X (Twitter) account or create an xAI account.

2. Create an API key

   Navigate to API Keys and click “Create API Key.” Name it “CiteMetrix” and create it.

3. Copy and paste into CiteMetrix

   Copy the key (it starts with xai-). In your CiteMetrix dashboard, go to Settings and paste it into the Grok API Key field. Click Save.

Important: Copy the key immediately — xAI only shows it once.

Mistral AI

European AI lab • OpenAI-compatible API

1. Create your account

   Open console.mistral.ai and sign in (or create an account). You’ll be prompted to set up an organization and workspace.

2. Choose a plan

   You’ll be asked to select a plan. Choose Experiment (free, 1 request/second) or Scale (pay-as-you-go). If the page loops back after subscribing, don’t worry — your plan is likely active. Just proceed to the next step.

3. Go directly to API Keys

   Navigate to console.mistral.ai/api-keys (or click “API Keys” under Manage in the left sidebar). Do not use admin.mistral.ai — that portal does not support key creation. Click “Create new secret key,” name it “CiteMetrix,” and create it.

4. Copy and paste into CiteMetrix

   Copy the key immediately. In your CiteMetrix dashboard, go to Settings and paste it into the Mistral API Key field. Click Save.

Important: Copy the key immediately — Mistral only shows it once. If you lose it, you’ll need to create a new one.

DeepSeek

Chinese AI lab • Strong in reasoning and code

Note: DeepSeek uses a prepaid credit model. You must add credits before your API key will work. Without credits, you’ll see a “402 Payment Required” error.

1. Go to the DeepSeek Platform

   Open platform.deepseek.com and sign in (or create an account).

2. Add credits

   Go to Top Up and add a small amount ($5 is plenty). DeepSeek is one of the most affordable AI APIs — a typical CiteMetrix scan costs fractions of a cent.

3. Create an API key

   Go to API Keys and click “Create new secret key.” Name it “CiteMetrix” and create it.

4. Copy and paste into CiteMetrix

   Copy the key (it starts with sk-). In your CiteMetrix dashboard, go to Settings and paste it into the DeepSeek API Key field. Click Save.

Important: Copy the key immediately — DeepSeek only shows it once. If you get a “402” error when saving, it means your account needs credits, not that the key is invalid.

Microsoft Copilot

Powers Copilot, Bing Chat • Uses OpenAI API

How it works: CiteMetrix uses the standard OpenAI API to simulate Copilot-style queries. You’ll need an OpenAI API key from platform.openai.com. If you already added an OpenAI key for ChatGPT, you can reuse the same key here.

1. Go to OpenAI Platform

   Open platform.openai.com and sign in. If you don’t have an account, create one — OpenAI offers free credits for new signups.

2. Create an API key

   Navigate to API keys in the left sidebar, then click “Create new secret key”. Name it something memorable like “CiteMetrix – Copilot.” Copy the key immediately — OpenAI will only show it once.

3. Add a payment method

   OpenAI keys require billing setup. Go to Settings → Billing and add a payment method. You can also set a usage limit to cap monthly spend.

4. Copy and paste into CiteMetrix

   In your CiteMetrix dashboard, go to Settings and paste the key into the Copilot field. Click Save.

Already have an OpenAI key for ChatGPT? You can paste the same key into both the ChatGPT and Copilot fields. Usage stays low — typically a few cents per scan per platform.

Meta AI (Llama)

Powers Meta AI across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp

Good news: Meta provides free API access to Llama models, making this one of the easiest platforms to set up.

1. Go to Meta AI Studio

   Open ai.meta.com and sign in with your Meta account. Navigate to the API section.

2. Request API access

   Apply for API access if you haven’t already. Meta typically approves requests within a few hours. Accept the Llama license agreement.

3. Create an API key

   Once approved, generate an API key from the developer dashboard. Name it “CiteMetrix” for easy identification.

4. Copy and paste into CiteMetrix

   In your CiteMetrix dashboard, go to Settings and paste the key into the Meta AI field. Click Save.

All set? Run your first scan.

Once you’ve added at least one API key, you’re ready to go. Add more platforms anytime to expand your visibility coverage.

Common Questions

Which platform should I set up first? Start with Perplexity and OpenAI. These two cover the largest share of AI search traffic and will give you the most useful data.

Do I need all platforms? No — you can start with one and add more over time. Each platform you add gives you a more complete picture of your AI visibility. We recommend starting with Perplexity and OpenAI.

What about platforms not listed here? CiteMetrix includes a Platform Registry that supports unlimited AI platforms. Beyond the built-in platforms shown above, you can add any OpenAI-compatible API as a custom platform from your dashboard. New AI platforms are added to the built-in registry regularly.

How much will API calls cost? Most beta testers spend $2–5 per month total across all platforms. Gemini and Grok have free tiers that cover typical usage. Each platform bills you directly — CiteMetrix never sees your payment information.

Can I use my existing ChatGPT Plus subscription? No. The API platform is separate from ChatGPT Plus. You’ll need to add billing at platform.openai.com even if you already pay for ChatGPT.

Is my API key safe? Yes. Your keys are stored encrypted in your CiteMetrix account and are only used to make API calls on your behalf. We never share, log, or access your keys for any other purpose.

I need help. Reply to any CiteMetrix email and we’ll help you get set up. You can also email beta@citemetrix.com directly.