ProtoCell emblemPROTOCELL
THE CEREBRAL CORTEX · A BEGINNER'S GUIDE

Bring your own AI.
Connect it to ProtoCell.

ProtoCell is free for Windows and Android. You connect an AI service using your own API key. That service supplies the reasoning power; ProtoCell provides the interface and governance around the work.

Start with the simple steps ↓See all four services ↗
THE IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE

Try AI with a small credit balance—not necessarily another subscription.

An API is a secure connection between ProtoCell and an AI provider. An API key is a private password-like credential for that connection. Tokens are units of text processed by the AI; costs depend on the model, features, and volume of use.

ILLUSTRATIVE STARTING BUDGET
$10

Buy usage credits where prepaid billing is offered

For example, you might put US$10 into an eligible API account, then draw down that balance as you use text chat. You decide when to add more if automatic top-ups are off.

Illustration only: not an amount of tokens, a subscription price, or a guaranteed number of questions.
PROTOCELL SOFTWARE
FREE

Bring the AI service of your choice

ProtoCell does not sell the AI tokens. Supported providers charge under their own API terms, often using prepaid credits or pay-as-you-go billing. Your ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or Grok consumer subscription is not necessarily an API account.

Your actual API costs may be higher or lower. Image generation, agents, larger models, audio and long conversations can use credits faster.

Example you can check right now: OpenAI's prepaid API credit minimum is US$5 (its default suggested purchase is US$10). Google's Gemini API has a US$5 prepaid minimum on eligible prepay accounts. Claude and xAI offer prepaid credits but may show different purchase options. Each provider has its own rules.

Keep spending under control: Check auto-recharge settings, set provider spending alerts where available, and review usage. Prepaid balances may not be a perfect hard spending limit because billing can be delayed.

NO PROGRAMMING REQUIRED

Connect a Cerebral Cortex in six steps.

These are the same basic steps whether you're using the Windows EXE or Android APK. Menu labels can differ slightly by release.

1

Choose one AI provider

Start with OpenAI, Gemini, Claude, or Grok. You only need one working connection to begin.

2

Create an API account

Open the provider's official developer website using the links below. Sign in or register there.

3

Choose how to pay

Use a free tier when available, add a small prepaid balance if offered, or approve metered billing. Review auto-reload.

4

Create your private API key

Use the provider's API Keys screen. Copy the new key. Treat it like a password: never publish or send it to anyone.

5

Open ProtoCell's API Services

Choose a Cerebral Cortex slot. Enter the Service URL, your Model name and your API key. Save the configuration.

6

Test and select the active slot

Use the connection test if shown, activate the working slot, and ask ProtoCell a simple question. A successful real response confirms the route.

Only paste your key inside the installed ProtoCell application. This public website contains examples and links only. It does not request, receive, test or store API keys.

FOUR REAL PROVIDER EXAMPLES

Exactly what goes into each Cortex slot

Each card gives you the official place to create a key, an example Service URL compatible with ProtoCell's chat connection route, and an illustrative model name. Replace the model with one currently available in your provider account if needed.

SERVICE EXAMPLE 01

OpenAI

ChatGPT models through the OpenAI API

1 · Get an API key ↗Billing guide ↗Available models ↗
Service URL
https://api.openai.com/v1
Model — example, check your access
gpt-4.1-mini
API key
Paste your own private key inside the installed ProtoCell app

Payment: For new API accounts, prepaid credits start at US$5; the usual default is US$10. Auto-reload may be enabled by default during signup, so review it.

A ChatGPT subscription does not include standard API credits. API billing is a separate account balance.

SERVICE EXAMPLE 02

Google Gemini

Gemini models through Google AI Studio

1 · Get an API key ↗Billing guide ↗Available models ↗
Service URL
https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/openai
Model — example, check your access
gemini-3.8-flash
API key
Paste your own private key inside the installed ProtoCell app

Payment: A free API tier may be available for eligible models. Paid-tier setup can require a minimum US$5 prepayment; some accounts use postpaid billing.

Use the OpenAI-compatible Gemini service address shown below for this ProtoCell configuration example—not the native Gemini endpoint.

SERVICE EXAMPLE 03

Anthropic Claude

Claude models through Claude Console

1 · Get an API key ↗Billing guide ↗Available models ↗
Service URL
https://api.anthropic.com/v1
Model — example, check your access
claude-sonnet-5-5
API key
Paste your own private key inside the installed ProtoCell app

Payment: Most Claude API users purchase prepaid usage credits. Check the checkout for the amount offered to your account.

This address uses Claude’s OpenAI-compatible API layer, which does not support every native Claude feature. A workspace-scoped API key is the simplest choice when available.

SERVICE EXAMPLE 04

xAI Grok

Grok models through the xAI API console

1 · Get an API key ↗Billing guide ↗Available models ↗
Service URL
https://api.x.ai/v1
Model — example, check your access
grok-4.7
API key
Paste your own private key inside the installed ProtoCell app

Payment: xAI supports prepaid credits. The purchase amount available to you is shown in its console; do not assume the minimum is US$10.

Use an API key from the xAI developer console. An ordinary Grok or X subscription is not a substitute for a funded API account.

Important: These are API endpoints—not normal website addresses. Do not open the Service URL in a browser and expect a webpage. ProtoCell adds the chat request path. Provider-specific features and models are not interchangeable. The OpenAI-compatible route is not the same as full native support for every provider function.

OpenAI model list ↗Gemini model list ↗Claude model list ↗Grok model list ↗
BUILT FOR A CHANGING AI WORLD

What if an AI company changes—or stops working?

AI companies change prices, model names, terms, and availability. Individual services may experience outages, and some may disappear. ProtoCell's design separates its identity, governance and local application from the external reasoning service.

THE DESIGN PRINCIPLE

Replaceable Cortex.
Continuing ProtoCell.

ProtoCell is not the same thing as OpenAI, Google, Anthropic or xAI. Those services are replaceable sources of reasoning. Golden Toolbox and Golden Atlas guide how outside results are evaluated; no provider response becomes truth or permanent memory automatically.

That separation is what we mean by designed to endure.

THE PRACTICAL REALITY

If your provider stops responding

  1. Check internet access, API credits, account status and model name.
  2. Open ProtoCell's API Services / Cerebral Cortex settings.
  3. Choose another configured, compatible slot—or configure a new one.
  4. Make it active and run a fresh test.

No automatic-failover guarantee: An active provider outage can interrupt AI functions until a valid route is restored. Local software does not vanish merely because a provider is unavailable, but availability, stored data and features depend on the installed release and your device.

Provider-independent designSelectable Cortex slotsHuman reviewNo promise of uninterrupted service
WHEN SOMETHING DOES NOT CONNECT

Simple answers to common problems

“Invalid API key” or 401 / 403

The key may have been copied incorrectly, revoked, or created under the wrong provider or project. Make a new key in that provider's official console and paste it only inside ProtoCell. Check account permissions and any workspace or billing requirements.

“No credits”, payment required or a billing error

Open that provider's Billing or Usage page. Your free trial may have ended or your prepaid balance may be empty. Adding funds and reviewing any spending controls is handled by the AI provider, not ProtoCell.

“Model not found”, 404, or incompatible model

Copy an exact current model ID from the provider's model list. Check the Service URL for typing errors and make sure the API account has access. Models offered on a provider's consumer chatbot may differ from those available through its API.

“Too many requests”, 429, timeout or outage

You may have exceeded the provider's rate limit or the service may be busy. Try again later, choose a supported model, or select a different configured Cortex slot. Some tasks can involve multiple API calls.

Chat works, but image, visual or agents do not

Those capabilities may use different API features, models, billing and permissions. A successful text-chat test does not establish that all visual, voice or multi-agent routes are supported by every provider. Check the application's supported feature and provider settings.

Can I paste my key into this website or send it for help?

No. Keep your full key private. Do not email it, post screenshots showing it, publish it on GitHub, or share it in social media messages. If a key leaks, revoke it from the provider console and generate a replacement.

How far will US$10 of API credits go?

There is no fixed number of messages. Each provider and model charges differently; output length and tasks matter. Start with a reasonably priced chat model, monitor usage, and see how far your own workload goes. Extra features such as images and multi-agent coordination can be more expensive.

READY TO CONNECT YOUR AI?

Get ProtoCell for Windows or Android — free.

Download ProtoCell from the official website. Connect your own API services only after installing the application. External providers may charge separately.

View both free downloads ↗Back to top ↑

Reference guide updated October 24, 2026. Provider sites, example model IDs, rules and prices may change. Always follow the latest official documentation linked above.