Blog · Guide · 28 September 2026
Puter vs your own OpenAI, Claude, or Gemini key
Instagram Content Studio does not sell AI tokens. It routes generation through Puter (in the browser) or through your OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google Gemini API key. The studio itself is free and ad-supported. This page clarifies the tradeoffs so you pick the right engine before Generate fails mid-draft.
What “free” means here
- No studio subscription. You use the site without paying us for seats.
- Ads support the product. When ads are on, accepting advertising cookies unlocks generation. Declining locks the tool; About, Privacy, FAQ, Blog stay open.
- Model usage is separate. Puter may use Puter’s free credit or paid balance. OpenAI / Anthropic / Google bill the key you paste.
Option A: Puter
Puter runs in the browser. You may be asked to sign in on generate. If free Puter AI credit is used up, the studio shows a clear message: top up or upgrade at puter.com, wait for a monthly reset, or switch AI engine and paste your own key.
Choose Puter when:
- You want to try the studio without creating OpenAI/Anthropic/Google keys
- You are fine with Puter’s account and credit rules
- You are drafting casually and do not need a specific model vendor
Option B: Your own API key
Select OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google in AI engine. Paste the key. Click Check status. The key is stored only in this browser for that engine and is sent with generate requests. It is not stored on our servers for later reuse as a hosted secret vault.
Choose your own key when:
- Puter credit is exhausted and you need to keep drafting
- You already pay for GPT, Claude, or Gemini and want those models
- You prefer billing to sit on your existing cloud account
Treat the key like a password. Prefer a key with limited spend. Revoke it if you used a shared computer. Clearing site data removes the local copy.
Quick decision table
| Situation | Suggested engine |
|---|---|
| First visit, no keys yet | Puter |
| Puter says credit exhausted | Own OpenAI / Anthropic / Gemini key |
| Need a specific model family | Matching own key |
| Shared or public device | Avoid pasting keys; use Puter or a throwaway key you revoke after |
What stays the same either way
Format, goal, formula, idea box, edit, history, and export work the same. Only the model path changes. Media is still on you: the studio drafts text; Instagram needs images or video.