AlliHat uses your own Claude API key to talk to Anthropic directly. Here's how to get one.
Go to console.anthropic.com and sign up (or log in if you already have an account).
Go to Settings → Billing and add a credit card. Anthropic offers a pay-as-you-go model — you only pay for what you use. Typical casual usage costs a few dollars per month.
Go to Settings → API Keys and click "Create Key". Give it a name like "AlliHat" and copy the key. It starts with sk-ant-.
Open the AlliHat sidebar in Safari, click the menu (☰), select "API Key", and paste your key. That's it — you're ready to go.
Tip: Set a monthly spending limit in Settings → Limits on the Anthropic console if you want to cap your costs. $10/month is plenty for most people.
How much does the API cost?
Anthropic charges per token (roughly per word). A typical question about a webpage costs less than $0.01. Most users spend $2–$5/month. Agent mode uses more since it takes multiple steps.
Is this the same as a Claude Pro subscription?
No. A Claude Pro subscription ($20/month) gives you access to claude.ai. AlliHat uses the API, which is separate and pay-as-you-go. You do not need a Claude Pro subscription to use AlliHat.
Is my API key safe?
Your key is stored locally in Safari's extension storage on your Mac. It's never sent to our servers. AlliHat connects directly to Anthropic's API.