Getting started

Bring a key, pick a provider and model, paste your API key, and start chatting on Cordy for Mobile in seconds.

Cordy for Mobile is bring-your-own-key: instead of signing up for a Cordy account, you connect your own API key from an AI provider. The goal of first run is simple — bring a key, keep control, and be chatting within seconds.

Platform note. These steps are written for Android, the fully verified platform. iOS compiles from the same code but is not yet device-verified, and camera / image / voice capture are not wired there yet. See the FAQ.

Before you begin

You need one thing: an API key from a supported provider. Cordy does not sell credits or resell model access — you use your own account with the provider, and you pay the provider directly for what you use.

If you don't have a key yet, where to get a key below walks through each provider. If you just want the fastest path, create an OpenRouter key: one key reaches 100+ models.

First run: the onboarding

When you open the app for the first time, a short onboarding explains the model in three cards:

  • Local by default — conversations stay on this device unless you erase them.
  • Bring your own key — keys are saved with secure device storage (Android Keystore / iOS Keychain).
  • Provider requests — prompts are sent only to the provider you select.

Tap Open settings to configure your first provider. You can reopen this walkthrough later from Settings → Show onboarding.

Three steps to your first message

1. Open Settings and pick a provider + model

Open Settings (the gear from the chat screen). Under Provider, choose where your messages are sent. OpenRouter is selected by default. Under Model, pick a model — once you save a key, the list fills with the provider's live catalog and per-model pricing (shown as "In $… / Out $… per 1M").

2. Paste your API key

In the API key section, paste your key and tap Save key. Cordy confirms with "API key saved. Stored on this device." and immediately loads that provider's model catalog. Keys are written to secure device storage only — never to the conversation database or logs.

3. Start chatting

Return to the chat screen. The composer shows "Message CordyAI" and an empty-state prompt, "Ask privately." Send your first message and the reply streams in live, rendered as Markdown as it arrives.

That's it — no email, no verification, no account.

Where to get a key (per provider)

You always create the key in the provider's own console, then paste it into Cordy. Most providers require you to add billing or credits before a key can make requests.

  1. Go to openrouter.ai/keys and sign in.
  2. Create a new API key and copy it.
  3. Add credits to your OpenRouter account (Settings → Credits) so requests can succeed.
  4. In Cordy: Settings → Provider → OpenRouter → paste key → Save key.

One OpenRouter key reaches models from many vendors (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Meta, and more), and its catalog includes live pricing, so Cordy can show what each model costs.

OpenAI

  1. Go to platform.openai.com/api-keys.
  2. Create a new secret key and copy it (you won't be able to view it again).
  3. Make sure your OpenAI account has billing set up.
  4. In Cordy: Settings → Provider → OpenAI → paste key → Save key.

Anthropic

  1. Go to console.anthropic.com and open API keys.
  2. Create a key and copy it.
  3. Ensure your Anthropic account has credit/billing.
  4. In Cordy: Settings → Provider → Anthropic → paste key → Save key.

Anthropic runs on Cordy's native Anthropic integration, which supports extended thinking (see Generation controls).

Vercel AI Gateway

  1. Open your Vercel dashboard and go to AI Gateway.
  2. Create an API key for the gateway and copy it.
  3. In Cordy: Settings → Provider → Vercel AI Gateway → paste key → Save key.

Volcengine Ark (火山方舟)

  1. Open the Ark console.
  2. Create an API key and copy it.
  3. In Cordy: Settings → Provider → Volcengine Ark → paste key → Save key.

Your own endpoint

Running a self-hosted or in-house OpenAI-compatible server? You can add it as a custom provider instead of using a built-in.

Confirming it works

  • After Save key, the model list should populate with real models and prices. If it stays on the bootstrap entries, your key may be missing or rejected.
  • Send a short message. A streaming reply confirms end-to-end success.
  • Open Settings → Token usage to see the tokens and estimated cost recorded for that message.

If something goes wrong

  • "Check your API key" — the key is missing, empty, or rejected (HTTP 401/403). Re-paste it in Settings.
  • "Provider credits exhausted" — add credits/billing with the provider (HTTP 402).
  • "Provider is rate limited" — wait a moment and retry (HTTP 429).

The FAQ & troubleshooting page has the full recovery guide.