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.
Open perplexity.ai/settings/api in your browser. You’ll need to sign in with your Perplexity account (or create a free one).
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.
Click “Generate” to create a new API key. Give it a name like “CiteMetrix” so you can identify it later.
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.
| Typical Cost | Free Tier? | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| ~$0.01–0.03 per query | No (prepaid credits required) | Prepaid credits |
Open platform.openai.com/api-keys. Sign in with your OpenAI account (the same one you use for ChatGPT, or create a new one).
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.
Go to API Keys in the left sidebar and click “Create new secret key.” Name it “CiteMetrix” and click Create.
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.
| Typical Cost | Free Tier? | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| ~$0.01–0.05 per query | New accounts get $5 free credit | Pay-as-you-go |
Open console.anthropic.com and sign in (or create an account). This is separate from the claude.ai chat interface.
Go to Settings → Billing and add a payment method. You can set a spending limit to control costs.
Go to API Keys in the left sidebar and click “Create Key.” Name it “CiteMetrix” and click Create.
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.
| Typical Cost | Free Tier? | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| ~$0.01–0.05 per query | New accounts get $5 free credit | Pay-as-you-go |
Open aistudio.google.com/apikey and sign in with your Google account.
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.
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.
| Typical Cost | Free Tier? | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| Free for typical usage | Yes — generous free tier | Pay-as-you-go (optional upgrade) |
Open console.x.ai and sign in with your X (Twitter) account or create an xAI account.
Navigate to API Keys and click “Create API Key.” Name it “CiteMetrix” and create it.
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.
| Typical Cost | Free Tier? | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| Free (within monthly credits) | Yes — $25/month free | Prepaid credits |
Open console.mistral.ai and sign in (or create an account). You’ll be prompted to set up an organization and workspace.
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.
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.
Copy the key immediately. In your CiteMetrix dashboard, go to Settings and paste it into the Mistral API Key field. Click Save.
| Typical Cost | Free Tier? | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| ~$0.001–0.01 per query | Yes — Experiment tier (1 req/sec) | Free or prepaid credits |
Open platform.deepseek.com and sign in (or create an account).
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.
Go to API Keys and click “Create new secret key.” Name it “CiteMetrix” and create it.
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.
| Typical Cost | Free Tier? | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| ~$0.001–0.01 per query | No (prepaid credits required) | Prepaid credits |
Open portal.azure.com and sign in. If you don’t have an Azure account, Microsoft offers free credits for new signups.
Search for “Azure OpenAI” in the portal and create a new resource. Select your subscription and resource group, then deploy a model (GPT-4o recommended).
In your Azure OpenAI resource, go to Keys and Endpoint. Copy Key 1 and the Endpoint URL.
In your CiteMetrix dashboard, go to Settings and paste the key and endpoint into the Copilot fields. Click Save.
| Typical Cost | Free Tier? | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| ~$0.01–0.05 per query | Free Azure credits for new accounts | Pay-as-you-go |
Open ai.meta.com and sign in with your Meta account. Navigate to the API section.
Apply for API access if you haven’t already. Meta typically approves requests within a few hours. Accept the Llama license agreement.
Once approved, generate an API key from the developer dashboard. Name it “CiteMetrix” for easy identification.
In your CiteMetrix dashboard, go to Settings and paste the key into the Meta AI field. Click Save.
| Typical Cost | Free Tier? | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| Free for typical usage | Yes — free API tier | Free (rate-limited) |
Once you’ve added at least one API key, you’re ready to go. Add more platforms anytime to expand your visibility coverage.
Open Your Dashboard →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.