Self-Onboard for Pay-Per-Token AI Gateway

Create an organization-specific Salad AI Gateway API key and make your first pay-per-token request.

Last Updated: September 1, 2026

Salad AI Gateway is currently in beta.

Pay-per-token access is self-service. Each AI Gateway API key belongs to one user and one organization, and usage made with that key is billed to the organization’s credit balance.

Step 1: Create an Account and Organization

1. Create a SaladCloud account or sign in to your existing account.
2. Create an organization in the portal. If you need help, follow the account setup guide.
3. Open the organization you want to use with Salad AI Gateway.

Gateway access is configured per user, per organization. If you use AI Gateway with more than one organization, create a separate key for each organization.

Step 2: Add Credits to the Organization

AI Gateway pay-per-token usage draws from the selected organization’s SaladCloud credit balance. In the organization, select Billing & Usage from the left navigation and add credits. The organization must have a positive credit balance before it can process AI Gateway requests.

See Billing for instructions on adding credits and configuring auto recharge.

Step 3: Create an AI Gateway API Key

1. Open the organization you want to bill for AI Gateway usage.
2. In the left navigation, select AI Gateway.
3. Click Create API Key for organization name.

The key is associated with your user and the selected organization. Do not share it with other users.

Step 4: Retrieve and Copy the Key

1. Select your username in the upper-right corner of the portal.
2. Select API Access.
3. Under AI Gateway Keys, find the organization you selected.
4. Click the copy icon next to the masked key.

The Current API Key at the top of the page authenticates other SaladCloud APIs with the Salad-Api-Key header. It does not authenticate AI Gateway requests. Use the organization-specific key listed under AI Gateway Keys as a Bearer token.

The API Access page shows only AI Gateway keys that you created. To reveal, regenerate, or delete a key, click Manage or return to that organization’s AI Gateway page.

Step 5: Store the Key Securely

Store the copied key in an environment variable instead of hardcoding it in your application:

export SALAD_AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY="<your-ai-gateway-api-key>"

Do not commit the key to source control or expose it in client-side code.

Step 6: Make Your First Request

Send the AI Gateway key as a Bearer token to the OpenAI-compatible endpoint:

curl https://ai.salad.cloud/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SALAD_AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "model": "qwen3.6-35b-a3b",
    "messages": [
      {"role": "user", "content": "Say hello in one sentence."}
    ]
  }'

You should receive a JSON response containing the model’s reply. Input and output tokens are billed to the organization at the published pay-per-token rates.

Next Steps

• Follow the Getting Started guide for Python, JavaScript, and streaming examples.
• Review the Models reference for model IDs and capabilities.
• Browse AI Gateway integrations for coding agents, IDEs, and frameworks.