How to Put an OpenAI API Key in VS Code and n8n
Add RunAPI's OpenAI-compatible key to Continue, Cody, or any VS Code AI extension in under 2 minutes. The same key works in n8n's OpenAI node. One key, one credit balance — GPT-4o, Claude, Gemini, and 100+ models at 50% off the direct price. No ChatGPT subscription needed.
What does this guide cover?
VS Code AI extensions and n8n both accept an OpenAI-compatible base URL and API key. RunAPI provides exactly that interface at api.runapi.ai/v1. You sign up once, generate a key, add credits, and paste the key into your tool of choice. Every call is billed per token at half the direct price — no subscription, no minimum spend, and no separate account per model. One thing to know upfront if you are also setting up OpenAI directly: a ChatGPT subscription does not grant API access. You need a separate API credit balance, and 429 errors almost always mean that balance is zero.
Any extension that reads openai.apiKey or a custom base URL from settings.json can point to RunAPI without a code change.
Continue's config.yaml accepts provider: openai with a custom apiBase. Drop in api.runapi.ai/v1 and your RunAPI key.
n8n's OpenAI credential lets you override the base URL. Enter api.runapi.ai/v1 and your RunAPI key — all existing workflows keep working.
GPT-4o input costs $2.50 per million tokens through OpenAI. Through RunAPI it is $1.25. The same discount applies to Claude, Gemini, and DeepSeek.
Configure API key in VS Code settings.json
Open Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P on macOS, Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux) and select Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON). Add or update the following block. Replace YOUR_RUNAPI_KEY with the key from your RunAPI dashboard. If your extension stores its key in its own settings panel (not in openai.apiKey), check the extension README for the exact field name — the base URL field is usually labeled apiBase or baseURL.
Add RunAPI to the Continue extension
Continue is a popular open-source AI coding assistant for VS Code and JetBrains. It stores its config in ~/.continue/config.yaml (or config.json for older versions). Pointing it to RunAPI gives you access to every model in the catalog through the same familiar chat and autocomplete interface. After saving the file, restart VS Code so Continue picks up the new config — the model you added will then appear in the Continue model picker.
How to add an OpenAI API key to n8n
n8n's OpenAI node uses a credential called OpenAI API. That credential has a Base URL field (hidden by default under Additional Fields) that lets you redirect all calls to any OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Set it to RunAPI and every workflow that calls the OpenAI node routes through RunAPI automatically — no other changes needed.
What you pay per model through RunAPI vs. direct
RunAPI charges 50% of the official vendor price for all LLM models. There is no monthly fee or subscription. You top up credits and pay only for what you use — failed requests are not charged. A ChatGPT Plus subscription is not required and does not grant API access; the API has separate billing regardless of which provider you use.
Prices shown are for input tokens. Output token pricing is also 50% off. See runapi.ai/pricing for the full list.
How to get your RunAPI key and connect it
Create a free RunAPI account
Go to runapi.ai and sign up with your email. No credit card is required to create an account or generate an API key.
Generate an API key
Open your dashboard and navigate to API Keys. Click New Key, give it a name (e.g. vscode-dev), and copy the key immediately — it starts with rp- and is shown only once. Save it somewhere safe before closing the dialog.
Add credits
Go to Billing and add a small top-up — $5 is enough to start. Credits never expire and you are only charged for successful API calls. Without a credit balance, API calls return a 429 error.
Configure VS Code
Open VS Code settings.json (Cmd+Shift+P > Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON)). Set openai.baseURL to https://api.runapi.ai/v1 and openai.apiKey to your RunAPI key.
Configure Continue (optional)
If you use the Continue extension, open ~/.continue/config.yaml and add a model entry with provider: openai, apiBase: https://api.runapi.ai/v1, and your apiKey.
Configure n8n (optional)
In n8n, open Settings > Credentials > OpenAI API. Paste your RunAPI key into API Key and https://api.runapi.ai/v1 into the Base URL field under Additional Fields.
Verify with a test call
Ask your VS Code extension a question or trigger an n8n workflow. Check your RunAPI dashboard under Usage to confirm the call went through.
VS Code and n8n API setup FAQ
Can I use my paid ChatGPT subscription instead of buying API credits?
No. A ChatGPT Plus or GPT-4 subscription gives you access to the chat interface only — it does not grant API access. The API has separate billing. You add a credit balance at platform.openai.com/billing and pay per call. If you skip that step, every API call comes back as a 429 error even though your subscription is active.
I set everything up but I keep getting a 429 error. What's wrong?
That means your credit balance is zero. OpenAI requires a billing credit balance above zero before any API call will go through — having an account and a valid key is not enough. Go to platform.openai.com/billing, add at least $5, and the 429 error stops. Through RunAPI you top up once and use any model with the same key.
I created an API key but forgot to save it. Can I see it again?
You cannot. The key is shown exactly once when you create it. Close the dialog before copying and it is gone — you will need to create a new key. Go back to the API Keys page, delete the old one, and create a fresh key. Copy it immediately and save it somewhere safe before closing the dialog.
Why does my API key have the word "project" in it? Is that normal?
Keys that show the word "project" in the name are project-scoped keys, which are the default type OpenAI now creates. They work exactly the same as personal keys for making API calls. The difference is they are tied to a specific OpenAI project in your dashboard rather than to your user account. Either type works fine — just copy and use it.
Can I use the same RunAPI key in both VS Code and n8n?
Yes. One RunAPI key works across all tools that accept an OpenAI-compatible API key and base URL. You can use the same key in VS Code extensions, n8n, Cursor, Claude Code, and any other OpenAI-compatible client without generating separate keys.
Which VS Code AI extensions work with a custom base URL?
Continue, Cody (via proxy mode), and most extensions that expose an openai.baseURL or equivalent setting work. GitHub Copilot does not support a custom base URL — it is locked to GitHub's endpoint. Copilot requires a paid GitHub subscription; there is no way to plug your own API key into it. For a Copilot alternative that accepts a custom key, Continue or Cody are the most common choices.
What model names do I use in VS Code or n8n?
Use the exact model IDs from RunAPI's catalog — for example gpt-4o, gpt-4o-mini, claude-sonnet-4-5, or gemini-2.0-flash. These identifiers match what you would pass to the OpenAI API directly. If a model ID is wrong, the API returns a 404. The complete list with per-token pricing is at runapi.ai/models.
How much does it cost to use GPT-4o through RunAPI in VS Code all day?
A typical coding session generates roughly 50,000–200,000 input tokens. At RunAPI's GPT-4o input rate of $1.25 per million tokens, that comes to about $0.06–$0.25 per day. Output tokens and any additional context sent by the extension are billed separately at the same 50% discount off OpenAI's official rates.
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Set up your API key in 2 minutes
Create a free RunAPI account, generate a key, and paste it into VS Code or n8n. All 100+ models at 50% off — no subscription, no minimum spend.