How to Create a Google Gemini API Key — Two Ways (Google AI Studio & Kunavo)

A Gemini API key authenticates your calls to Google's Gemini models: each request carries the key in the Authorization header, and the platform measures and bills usage through it. There are two ways to create a Gemini API key — directly through Google AI Studio (official), or through Kunavo: an OpenAI-compatible key that works with Gemini, Claude, GPT, and image/video models, with no Google Cloud project required.

Option 1 — Create a Google AI Studio API key (official)

If Gemini is the only model you'll ever call, get the key directly from Google:

1. Go to aistudio.google.com and sign in with a Google account.
2. Open Get API key → Create API key. Keys start with AIza… and are shown only once.
3. The free tier is rate-limited and suitable for prototyping. For production, link the key to a Google Cloud billing account.

This is the right option as long as you only need Gemini. Once you also use Claude, GPT, or image and video models, you'll manage a separate key, SDK, and bill for each provider.

Option 2 — Create a Gemini API key through Kunavo (recommended for production)

Kunavo puts Gemini behind an OpenAI-compatible API. A single sk-kn- key accesses all models through the same endpoint — no Google Cloud project required, Gemini around 70% below Google's list price ($0.09 / $0.75 per 1M tokens), one Stripe balance, and pay-as-you-go starting with a $10 minimum top-up. The balance covers Gemini, Claude, GPT, and image and video models together, and never expires.

1. Sign up. Create a Kunavo account at kunavo.com.
2. Add $10. Pay-as-you-go with a $10 minimum top-up; your balance never expires.
3. Create a key. Generate a key at /app/keys. It starts with sk-kn- and is shown only once — store it in an environment variable.
4. Make a call. Point the OpenAI SDK to https://api.kunavo.com/v1 and call a Gemini slug.

Quickstart

Keep the official OpenAI SDK. You only need to change base_url and the model name — nothing else.

import os
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key=os.environ["KUNAVO_API_KEY"],
    base_url="https://api.kunavo.com/v1",  # die einzige Zeile, die sich ändert
)

resp = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="gemini-2-5-flash",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Fasse die Handlung von Dune in zwei Sätzen zusammen."}],
)
print(resp.choices[0].message.content)

The same pattern works for Node.js and curl; for per-model rates and worked cost examples, see the Gemini API pricing guide.

Keep your key secure

• Use environment variables instead of source code. Never store the key in your repository; read it from an environment variable. Never expose it in browser or mobile bundles — always proxy through your own server.
• Use one key per project or environment. That way, a leaked key can be revoked without disrupting everything else.
• Rotate regularly. Kunavo allows multiple active keys, so rotation is a clean overlap rather than a hard cutover.
• Set spending limits per key. Set limits for each key in the dashboard and monitor /app/usage for unexpected traffic by key.

Frequently asked questions