# Get an API key: Together AI

> The cure for Together AI calls rejected for speed is a switch inside Big-AGI - Rate Limiter - which spaces Big-AGI's own requests about a second apart.

- Canonical: https://big-agi.com/docs/connect-together
- 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 Together AI key? · Why are my calls rejected for sending too fast? · How do I cap what it spends?

When Together AI starts refusing calls for speed, the control that fixes it sits inside Big-AGI. It is a switch called **Rate Limiter**, and it spaces Big-AGI's own requests about a second apart. Readers usually arrive wanting open-weights models without the hardware to run them ([models on your own machine](/docs/connect-models#models-on-your-own-machines) is the other route).

## The credit-funded account

Credit is purchased in the console and drawn down per request. Sign-up grants have changed more than once, so read the console rather than a figure quoted elsewhere. Top up before the first answer. Purchased credit, plus whatever limits the console's billing area offers, is what binds. Together states it does not train on your data without explicit opt-in, and offers zero data retention as a setting ([privacy](https://www.together.ai/privacy)).

## Where the key comes from

1. Open [api.together.ai/settings/projects/~current/api-keys](https://api.together.ai/settings/projects/~current/api-keys). The app's older `.xyz` link still resolves ([quickstart](https://docs.together.ai/docs/quickstart)).
2. Create the key.
3. Copy it before the page changes.

## Adding it, and the Rate Limiter switch

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

If answers then come back refused for speed - `429 Too Many Requests` - turn on **Rate Limiter** under **Advanced**. It is Big-AGI's own throttle, and it stops a free-tier account overrunning its 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)