Premium and Lifetime plans can run every AI feature on their own OpenAI, Anthropic or Google API key: unlimited, with zero credits consumed.
Add your API key in Settings → AI Providers, then turn on "Use my API key". From that moment every AI operation (optimize, cover letters, PDF import, match score, interviews, voice feedback) runs on your key and consumes no Lumne credits.
Your purchased credit packs stay saved while BYOK is on: their 1-year validity keeps running, and they are used again the moment you turn the toggle off.
Voice transcription is the one exception: it always uses your plan's voice-minutes pool, never your API key.
You need an account with billing enabled at the provider. The key starts working here within seconds of being created.
Keys without billing enabled return 401/429 errors on the first call.
You pay the provider directly, per token. Real cost depends on the model you pick. As reference, one Lumne AI action ranges from a light optimization to a full resume import:
| Light action (optimize a summary, refine an answer) | ~$0.001–$0.01 |
| Medium action (keywords, voice feedback) | ~$0.002–$0.02 |
| Heavy action (PDF import, cover letter, match-score batch) | ~$0.005–$0.07 |
"Your API key failed" (401/403)
The provider rejected the key: it was revoked, mistyped, or billing is not enabled. Create a fresh key, confirm billing is active, and save it again. Lumne validates the key on save.
Key saves but AI actions still consume credits
The "Use my API key" toggle in Settings → AI Providers must be ON. Saving a key alone does not switch billing to it.
Provider rate limit (429 from OpenAI/Anthropic/Google)
New provider accounts have low request limits. Wait a minute and retry; limits grow automatically with account age/usage tiers on the provider side.
It worked and then stopped
Check the provider's billing page: an exhausted prepaid balance or an expired card is the usual cause. Lumne never falls back to credits silently: you'll always see an explicit error.