BYOK ASO Tool: Bring Your Own AI Key, Keep Your Data Local
Use your own Groq, Claude, GPT, Gemini, or DeepSeek key for AI ASO features. Your prompts never pass through us. Free core tools, Pro for AI.
A **BYOK ASO tool** (bring your own key) lets you use your own AI provider account for AI features. Your prompts go straight to the provider, never through the tool vendor. NewASO supports nine providers — Groq, Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Mistral, Grok, OpenRouter, and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint — with a per-tool model picker. The core ASO features (research, scoring, tracking) are free and need no key at all.
Key takeaways
- BYOK means you pay the AI provider directly, not the tool vendor.
- Your prompts and data never pass through the tool vendor's servers.
- Nine providers supported, with a per-tool model picker.
- Core ASO features (research, scoring, tracking) are free and need no key.
- Keys are stored locally with owner-only file permissions.
Why BYOK matters for ASO
Most ASO tools with AI features charge a markup on top of the AI cost. You pay $30-100/month for the tool, and the tool pays the AI provider a fraction of that. With BYOK, you pay the tool vendor only for the software, and you pay the AI provider directly for tokens. For indie developers and small studios, this is usually cheaper.
BYOK also solves a privacy problem. When your app idea, listing copy, and keyword data pass through a third-party server for AI processing, you are trusting that server with competitively sensitive information. With BYOK, your data goes from your machine to the AI provider and back. No intermediary.
Supported providers
| Provider | Kind | Free tier? | Vision? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groq | OpenAI-compatible | Yes | Yes |
| Claude (Anthropic) | Anthropic | No | Yes |
| GPT (OpenAI) | OpenAI-compatible | No | Yes |
| Gemini (Google) | OpenAI-compatible | Yes | Yes |
| DeepSeek | OpenAI-compatible | No | No |
| Mistral | OpenAI-compatible | No | Yes |
| Grok (xAI) | OpenAI-compatible | No | Yes |
| OpenRouter | OpenAI-compatible | No | Yes |
| Custom | OpenAI-compatible | Varies | Varies |
How it works
- Open Settings → AI providers.
- Paste your API key for any provider you want to use.
- Click 'Test connection' to verify the key and model.
- Choose a default provider (or pick per tool).
- Every AI tool now shows a provider + model picker.
The key is stored in a local file (`data/ai-settings.json`) with owner-only permissions (600). It is never written to the database, never shipped in the build, and never included in backups. You can type any model ID — the provider lists are starting points, not restrictions.
BYOK vs bundled AI
| Factor | BYOK (NewASO) | Bundled AI (typical SaaS) |
|---|---|---|
| AI cost | You pay the provider directly | Markup baked into subscription |
| Model choice | Any model from any provider | Vendor picks the model |
| Data privacy | Prompts go to provider only | Prompts pass through vendor server |
| Cost at scale | Pay per token, no minimum | Fixed monthly fee regardless of usage |
| Vendor lock-in | None — switch providers anytime | Locked to vendor's chosen model |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an AI key to use NewASO?
No. Core ASO features (research, scoring, tracking, listing editing) are free and need no key. AI features (listing generation, icon critique, screenshot copy) require a Pro license and your own AI key.
Which providers are supported?
Groq, Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google), DeepSeek, Mistral, Grok (xAI), OpenRouter, and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint with a custom base URL.
Where are my keys stored?
In a local file (data/ai-settings.json) with owner-only permissions. They are never in the database, never in backups, and never shipped in the app build.
Can I use multiple providers?
Yes. Configure keys for as many providers as you want. Every AI tool has a provider + model picker so you can choose per task.