Establish who supplies the model
An external inference provider is one option in JanitorAI's API settings. When you choose that arrangement, its model identifier, endpoint, key and billing become part of your setup. This does not mean every JanitorAI user must obtain a paid provider key.
Our ordinary model choices are available through the generation settings of a chat, according to the account tier. You do not need to obtain another provider's API key to use those in-app options.
Include the provider when comparing costs
For our service, match the subscription to the features you need. For a setup with external inference, examine both the chat interface and the provider's charging terms. Access to a free interface does not make an independently billed model free to run.
Keep any provider credential apart from character-writing material. It must not be pasted into a personality field or passed to another creator when you share a definition or change configurations.
Keep the writing task consistent
Use the same opening situation and comparable role descriptions, then alter one variable at a time. You might change the model while leaving the character definition alone, or adjust reply length without also replacing memory instructions. That helps distinguish the effect of your setup from the name of the service.
We use personas for your role, Lorebooks for background and Rulebooks for changing story state. When considering an alternative, look for the way it handles that particular information. Moving a compatible definition does not promise identical behavior in a different system.
Questions
Must I arrange a separate model provider before chatting here?
No. You can select from our ordinary in-app model options according to your account access without supplying an external provider key. That is separate from configuring an outside integration.
Should I assume every JanitorAI setup has an external API bill?
No. An external provider is an available configuration, not a requirement for every account. Check which model and setup are actually being used before drawing a cost comparison.