Advanced
Bring your own OpenRouter key and control dictation costs
Already on OpenRouter? Dictor desktop lets you pay OpenRouter directly for supported AI models instead of relying only on a bundled dictation subscription.
Usage-based AI
About $2 per month with full-time use
A typical average for full-time Dictor desktop use with BYOK. Actual OpenRouter bills vary by usage, selected models, fees, and future pricing.
Typical BYOK average
About $2/mo
Typical voice subscription
$12-$15/mo
A practical BYOK savings example
OpenRouter prices are usage-based. With Dictor desktop BYOK, your OpenRouter account is billed directly and Dictor adds no AI usage markup on this path. Full-time Dictor use averages about $2 per month, though actual costs vary by usage, models, fees, and future pricing.
Full-time dictation
OpenAI: GPT Transcribe
About $2/month
A practical average for people who use Dictor throughout the workday.
Usage-based billing
Billed directly by OpenRouter
Pay for what you use
Your cost stays tied to the models and requests you actually send.
Short correction commands
OpenAI: GPT-5.6 Luna text requests
$0.75 in / $4.50 out per 1M tokens
Small rewrites and cleanup commands can cost a fraction of a cent.
How it works
- Download Dictor for macOS or Windows and create your account.
- Open Settings → Bring your own key and paste an OpenRouter API key.
- Toggle on “Use my OpenRouter key”. Dictation and commands then use your key.
API keys are entered only in the Dictor desktop app (macOS and Windows), stored in your system keychain, and never uploaded to our servers. Sign in with your Dictor account so we can keep you updated by email.
Hosted vs. your own key
Most people should use Dictor’s hosted AI with a simple subscription — no API keys, no model setup. Bring your own key is for developers and power users who already pay OpenRouter and want the same Dictor experience at their own cost.