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

SiYuan

Privacy-first, self-hosted block-based knowledge base with built-in AI writing and Q&A via your own API key.

Website Source code

Category:
Writing Tools
Maintenance:
Actively developed (last commit 7 days ago)
Pricing:
Open Source
Open source:
Yes (AGPL-3.0)
Self-hostable:
Yes
Local-first:
No
Platforms:
Desktop, Mobile, Self-hosted, Web, Docker
AI providers (bring your own key):
OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, Custom / OpenAI-compatible
API key storage:
Stored locally on device
Key risk level:
LOW
Trust score:
81/100

SiYuan is an open-source, privacy-first personal knowledge management application built around block-level editing, bidirectional links, databases, and spaced-repetition flashcards. It runs fully self-hosted (desktop, mobile, and Docker/web) with local-first data storage. Its built-in AI writing and Q&A features (writing continuation, translation, grammar correction, chat) are powered by the end user's own credentials: Settings → AI lets you choose an API Provider (OpenAI or Azure), and enter your own API Key, API Base URL ("the URL of the OpenAI-compatible API"), and API Model. Because the base URL is user-configurable, any OpenAI-compatible endpoint works (DeepSeek, OpenRouter, local/self-hosted models via a compatible gateway, etc.).

Why this trust score (81/100)

Trust measures how the tool treats your API key and how much of that has been verified. It contains no 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 AGPL-3.0, so anyone can check how the key is handled.
  • Privacy 10/15: Can be self-hosted, so the data path stays inside infrastructure you control.
  • Maintenance 10/10: Actively developed: 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.
  • [CONFIRMED · SOURCE_SCAN] Ships a container definition, so it can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure. source
  • [CONFIRMED · SOURCE_SCAN] Most recent commit 2026-08-12, 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. Because it can be self-hosted, your key never has to touch a third-party backend.

Setup

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