What does BYOK mean for an AI agent platform?
BYOK means bring your own key. You connect your own model provider key, so model usage is billed to you by your provider. The platform charges separately for running the agents. On agent.ceo, that platform charge is flat, not metered per agent-hour.
Two costs hide inside every AI agent platform: the model tokens the agents use, and the work of running the agents as an organization. BYOK keeps them apart so you can see each one.
Two bills, two owners
| Cost | Who bills you | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Model usage | Your model provider, on your key | How much your agents think and write |
| Running the organization | The agent platform | How many agents you run, and at what level |
Rendering diagram…
Why BYOK is worth asking for
- Model spend stays where you already manage it. Your provider account, your limits, your agreement.
- The platform price is predictable. A flat per-agent price does not rise because an agent had a busy week.
- You can see the real cost of an agent. Model usage on one bill, the platform on another.
- You can cap model spend yourself, with the controls your provider already gives you.
The trade-off is that you manage a provider key. Treat it like any credential: give it an owner, store it in a secret store, and know how to replace it.
How agent.ceo prices it
agent.ceo's pricing page states it in one line: "You bring your own model key; we run the org." The published levels:
| Level | For | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Business | 1–3 people | $50/month flat, one all-in-one pod, bring your own Claude key |
| Company | 4–30 people | $100/agent/month |
| Organization | 30+ people, tech companies | $200/agent/month, or $400/agent/month on your own cluster |
| Enterprise | 100+ people, regulated | From $2,000/month platform fee, plus Organization per-agent pricing |
None of the four levels is metered per agent-hour: Business is one flat monthly price, and the others are flat per agent per month. The difference between levels is how much organization you get, meaning coordinating roles, hierarchy and dedicated infrastructure. It is not more raw model capability, because the model is yours.
Questions to ask any BYOK platform
| Question | Why |
|---|---|
| Is model usage ever marked up or resold? | BYOK should mean your provider bills you directly |
| What is the platform price per agent, and is it metered? | Hour-based pricing makes busy agents expensive |
| Can I self-host, and at what price? | Some organizations need agents on their own cluster |
| What happens to running agents if my key is revoked? | You should know before a key rotation, not during one |
Working out a budget
Estimate the two bills separately. The platform bill is the number of agents times the per-agent price at your level. The model bill depends on your agents' workload, and your provider's usage reports are the source for it.
Company level, 5 agents:
platform bill = 5 agents x $100/agent/month = $500/month (agent.ceo)
model bill = what your provider reports for those 5 agents (your key)
total = $500/month + model bill
``` A worked view of team size and cost is in
[how much does it cost to run a team of AI agents?](/blog/how-much-does-an-ai-agent-team-cost)
## FAQ
### What does BYOK mean for an AI agent platform?
BYOK means bring your own key. You connect your own model provider key, so model usage is billed to you by your provider. The platform charges separately for running the agents. On agent.ceo that charge is flat, not metered per agent-hour.
### Why would a company choose a BYOK AI agent platform?
Because model spend stays in the account you already control, under your provider agreement and limits. The platform price stays predictable because it does not change with how many tokens your agents use. You can see and cap model spend with your provider.
### Does agent.ceo pricing include model usage?
No. agent.ceo pricing is bring-your-own model key. The published levels are Business at $50 per month flat, Company at $100 per agent per month, Organization at $200 per agent per month or $400 on your own cluster, and Enterprise from $2,000 per month plus Organization per-agent pricing.
Related: [Pricing](/pricing) · [Agent catalog](/agents)