# Get a Groq key with no payment method

> Groq's free plan has no bill to cap - the limit is a rate limit, so this account runs out of speed long before it runs out of money.

- Canonical: https://big-agi.com/docs/connect-groq
- Minimum tier: open  [Open ⊂ Free ⊂ Pro - a tier only ever ADDS to the Open baseline]
- Kind: provider · Last content update generation: 2026-07-27 · Review by: 2026-10-27
- Answers: Where do I create a Groq API key? · Do I need a payment method to start? · Why does it stop responding after a few messages?

Groq's free plan carries no bill, so the limit is a rate limit. This account runs out of speed long before it runs out of money. That makes it the usual first key for a reader with no payment method to hand.

## The free plan

The [free plan](https://console.groq.com/docs/rate-limits) publishes its rate limits and asks for no card; a paid developer plan raises them. Groq states it does not retain customer data for inference requests by default ([your data](https://console.groq.com/docs/your-data)).

## Making the key

1. Go to [console.groq.com/keys](https://console.groq.com/keys), which is the page the app links.
2. Create the key.
3. Copy it there and then.

## Adding the key

Open **Models** (`Ctrl + Shift + M`) and press **More Services** if the **Setup AI Models** wizard appears. Then **Add** -> **Groq**, paste into **Groq API Key**, and press **Models** - the list filling in below is your confirmation ([add and manage your keys](/docs/connect-models)).

There is no host field here: requests go to Groq's own endpoint.

## The limit is a rate

Your account's exact numbers live at [Settings -> Limits](https://console.groq.com/settings/limits), on a paid plan too. The first wall most readers meet is a refusal for sending too fast. Running several models at once multiplies the rate you ask for, and a paid plan raises the allowance.

## Direct Connection

Direct Connection can be turned on once the key is in the browser. It starts off.

> **Direct Connection works only with your API key stored in the browser**, and with an AI service that permits direct browser calls (CORS). Where it cannot be used, requests route through the Big-AGI fast edge servers instead - everything still works, within the standard upload size and time limits.

## Related

- [Connect an AI service](/docs/connect-models)
- [What your provider does with your text](/docs/privacy-data-flow)