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

InSidebar AI

Chrome and Edge side panel that keeps your keys in browser storage and calls providers directly.

Website Source code

Category:
Browser Extensions
Maintenance:
Actively developed (last commit 8 days ago)
Pricing:
Open Source
Open source:
Yes (MIT)
Self-hostable:
No
Local-first:
No
Platforms:
Browser Extension
AI providers (bring your own key):
OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Custom / OpenAI-compatible
API key storage:
Stored in browser storage
Key risk level:
MEDIUM
Trust score:
70/100

InSidebar AI puts an assistant in the browser side panel alongside the page rather than in a separate tab. Requests go from your browser straight to the provider on a key held in browser storage, so no intermediate server sees the traffic. That also means the key sits in browser storage rather than an OS keychain, which is weaker than an environment variable and worth knowing. MIT.

How this tool was scored

Key handling 65/100 (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 13/25: The key is persisted in browser local storage, which any script on the page can read.
  • Request Routing 17/20: Requests go straight from you to the AI provider.
  • Transparency 20/20: Source is public under MIT, so anyone can check how the key is handled.
  • Privacy 9/15: The project states it sends no telemetry.
  • 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
  • [REPORTED · SOURCE_SCAN] The project states it sends no telemetry. source
  • [CONFIRMED · SOURCE_SCAN] Most recent commit 2026-09-21, about 0 month(s) ago. source

How your API key is handled

Your API key is stored in your browser's local storage. Requests are sent directly to the AI provider.

Setup

Open the extension/app settings, paste your provider API key (kept in your browser), and pick a model.