Short answer: Yes. Cursor fully supports bring-your-own API key (BYOK). Here’s everything you need to know.
What BYOK Means in Cursor
“Bring Your Own Key” means you use your own API key instead of relying on Cursor’s built-in quota. This gives you:
- ✅ Unlimited requests (no monthly cap)
- ✅ Choose your own models (Opus 4.6, Codex 5.3, GPT-4o)
- ✅ Full control over costs (pay per token, not flat monthly)
- ✅ Use a relay endpoint for better pricing
3 Ways to Use Your Own Key in Cursor
Option 1: Direct Anthropic Key
Use a key from console.anthropic.com:
- Go to Cursor Settings → Models
- Enable Claude models
- Paste your Anthropic API key
Pros: Direct connection Cons: Full Anthropic pricing ($100 / 50M tokens for Opus)
Option 2: Direct OpenAI Key
Use a key from OpenAI:
- Go to Cursor Settings → Models
- Enable GPT models
- Paste your OpenAI API key
Option 3: Custom Relay Endpoint (Recommended)
Use a relay like BusinessAgent for 64–93% lower prices with the same models:
- Go to Cursor Settings → Models
- Enable “Override OpenAI Base URL”
- Set Base URL:
https://business-agent.cc/api/v1 - Set API Key:
sk-ba-your-key - Enable Claude models in the model list
Pros: Same models, 64–93% cheaper, unlimited keys for teams Cons: Requests route through relay (sub-200ms latency)
Full step-by-step with screenshots: See our Cursor setup guide
BYOK vs Cursor Pro: Which Is Better?
| Feature | Cursor Pro ($20/mo) | BYOK with Relay |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $20 flat | Pay per token |
| Fast requests | 500/month limit | Unlimited |
| Slow requests | Unlimited (queued) | N/A — all fast |
| Model choice | Cursor decides | You choose |
| Agent Mode | ✅ | ✅ |
| Team management | ❌ | ✅ Per-developer keys |
| Best for | Casual / solo | Teams / heavy usage |
The Hybrid Approach (Most Popular)
Many developers use both:
- Cursor Pro for daily coding (500 fast requests/month)
- Custom key for Agent Mode and heavy refactoring sessions
When your Pro quota runs out, the custom key takes over seamlessly.
For Teams: Why BYOK Is Essential
If you’re a team of 5+ developers, BYOK isn’t optional — it’s the only way to control costs.
With Cursor Pro:
- 10 developers × $20/month = $200/month + still hitting quotas
With BYOK via relay:
- Codex 5.3 at $7/50M tokens
- Average developer uses ~50M tokens/month
- 10 developers = ~$70/month for coding tasks
- 65% cheaper with zero quotas
🏢 Team plans: BusinessAgent offers unlimited API keys per team, one invoice, dedicated account manager. See Enterprise plans →
Common Questions
Q: Will I lose Cursor features if I use my own key? No. All Cursor features work with custom keys — Tab completion, Chat, Agent Mode, Cmd+K, everything.
Q: Can I switch back to Cursor’s built-in models? Yes. Just disable “Override OpenAI Base URL” in settings. It’s a toggle.
Q: Does this work with Cursor Agent Mode? Yes. Agent Mode works perfectly with custom API keys. In fact, many users prefer custom keys for Agent Mode because there’s no request limit.
Q: What about data privacy? When using BYOK through BusinessAgent, we operate a zero-log policy — no request content or responses are stored. Your code stays private.
Ready to try BYOK? Get your API key with a free $5–$10 trial credit:
📧 hello@your-agent.cc · 💬 Telegram · WeChat: Moumlbius