BYOAIK (Bring Your Own AI Key) is a directory of AI tools that run on your own API key.

Ellama

Emacs AI assistant that defaults to a local Ollama model and takes your key for anything hosted.

Website Source code

Category:
IDE Plugins
Maintenance:
Actively developed (last commit 3 days ago)
Pricing:
Open Source
Open source:
Yes (GPL-3.0)
Self-hostable:
No
Local-first:
Yes
Platforms:
Desktop, Local-only
AI providers (bring your own key):
OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Ollama, Custom / OpenAI-compatible
API key storage:
Stored locally on device
Key risk level:
LOW
Trust score:
82/100

Ellama brings chat, code review, refactoring, summarising and commit-message generation into Emacs through the GNU ELPA llm package, so it speaks to Ollama, OpenAI-compatible endpoints, OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Vertex, GPT4All and llama.cpp among others. By default it selects the first available Ollama model, meaning the out-of-the-box path needs no cloud key and no request leaves the machine; hosted providers are opt-in with a credential you supply. GPL-3.0.

How this tool was scored

Key handling 85/100 (where your key rests and who sees it, comparable across any licence) and verifiability 70/100 (how much of that BYOAIK could confirm, lower for closed source). Neither contains a popularity signal.

  • Key Safety 23/25: The key is held on your own device.
  • Request Routing 17/20: Requests go straight from you to the AI provider.
  • Transparency 20/20: Source is public under GPL-3.0, so anyone can check how the key is handled.
  • Privacy 11/15: Local-first: it works without sending your data anywhere.
  • Maintenance 10/10: Actively developed, with commits within the last three months.
  • Verification Confidence 1/10: Compiled from public documentation by an AI-assisted pass, not independently confirmed.

What was checked

Verification tier RESEARCH_ASSISTED, derived from the evidence below and not set by hand.

  • [REPORTED · RESEARCH] This listing was compiled by an AI-assisted research pass over the tool's public website, README and documentation. No person independently confirmed it.
  • [STRONG · SOURCE_SCAN] Supports a local model backend, so it can run with no cloud provider key at all. source
  • [CONFIRMED · SOURCE_SCAN] Most recent commit 2026-09-29, about 0 month(s) ago. source

How your API key is handled

Your API key is stored locally on your device. Requests are sent directly to the AI provider.

Setup

Open settings, paste your provider API key, choose a model, and start. The key stays on your device.