Why API Keys?
38Hub uses a Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) model. Instead of bundling AI costs into your subscription, you connect your own API keys and pay the AI providers directly. This gives you:
- Full control over which AI model to use
- Lower costs — pay only for what you use (most creators spend $5-20/month)
- No rate limits from our side — your keys, your quota
- Privacy — requests go directly from our server to the AI provider
Setting Up Claude (Anthropic)
- Go to console.anthropic.com
- Create an account or sign in
- Navigate to API Keys and click "Create Key"
- Copy the key (starts with
sk-ant-) - In 38Hub, go to Settings → API Keys
- Paste the key in the Claude API Key field
- Click Test to verify it works, then Save
Claude is used for idea scoring, content cooking, and writing features. It's our recommended provider for text generation.
Setting Up OpenAI (GPT-4o)
- Go to platform.openai.com
- Navigate to API Keys and create a new key
- Copy the key (starts with
sk-) - In 38Hub, paste it in the OpenAI API Key field
- Click Test and Save
OpenAI is an alternative to Claude for all text generation features. You can switch between them in Settings → General.
Setting Up Gemini (Google)
- Go to aistudio.google.com/apikey
- Click "Create API Key"
- Copy the key
- In 38Hub, paste it in the Gemini API Key field
- Click Test and Save
Gemini powers all Visual Designer features — social post images, thumbnails, carousels, diagrams, and logos. You need this key to generate any images.
Setting Up YouTube Data API
- Go to Google Cloud Console
- Create a project (or select existing)
- Enable YouTube Data API v3 in the API Library
- Go to Credentials → Create API Key
- Copy and paste into 38Hub YouTube API Key field
This key powers all YouTube Studio features — keyword research, trending videos, channel analysis, etc.
How Much Do API Keys Cost?
| Provider | Typical Cost | What It Powers |
|---|---|---|
| Claude | $0.01-0.10 per content piece | Scoring, cooking, writing |
| OpenAI | $0.01-0.10 per content piece | Scoring, cooking, writing |
| Gemini | $0.01-0.05 per image | All visual design |
| YouTube API | Free (10,000 units/day) | YouTube Studio tools |
Most creators spend $5-20/month total on API usage.
Security
Your API keys are encrypted before being stored in our database using AES-256-GCM encryption. They are never exposed in client-side code or logged.
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