About Cloudflare AI Gateway

Cloudflare AI Gateway sits between your apps and AI providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, xAI, and DeepSeek, adding caching, rate limiting, logging, and analytics across all of them. Its unified OpenAI-compatible endpoint lets one Cloudflare API token reach models from every provider.

Store your provider keys in the gateway or use Cloudflare's Unified Billing to pay per token, then connect TypingMind with an authentication token created inside your gateway.

Step by step guide to use Cloudflare AI Gateway API Key to chat with AI

I. Get Your Cloudflare AI Gateway API Key

First, you'll need to obtain an API key from Cloudflare AI Gateway. This key allows you to access their AI models directly and pay only for what you use.

  1. Go to Cloudflare AI Gateway. Sign up for a Cloudflare account first if you don't have one.

  2. Click Create custom gateway.

  3. Enter a Gateway ID, for example typingmind, and create the gateway. This is your <GATEWAY_ID>.

    Create a new AI Gateway in the Cloudflare dashboard

  4. Open the new gateway and create an authentication token with the AI Gateway Run permission. Copy the token right away. This is your <CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN>.

    Create an AI Gateway authentication token in Cloudflare

  5. Go to dash.cloudflare.com and copy your Account ID from the page URL. For example, in https://dash.cloudflare.com/38cms9x0cms9jg7239fdsc8c8cccd/home, the Account ID is 38cms9x0cms9jg7239fdsc8c8cccd. This is your <ACCOUNT_ID>.

Sometimes, this provider will require you to add a payment method to your account before you can use your API key to chat with AI. So, to avoid any hiccups, make sure you've got a payment method set up and ready to go!

Important: Keep your API key secure and never share it publicly. Store it safely as you'll need it to connect with TypingMind.

II. Connect Your Cloudflare AI Gateway API Key on TypingMind

Once you have your Cloudflare AI Gateway API key, connecting it to TypingMind to chat with AI is straightforward:

  1. Open the Models page

    Open TypingMind, click "Models" in the left sidebar, then click "Add custom model" in the top right corner.

    TypingMind Models page with the Add custom model button

  2. Enter the model details

    Keep "Create Manually" selected and fill in the model details:

    Name: openai/gpt-5.5 via Cloudflare AI Gateway (or your preferred name)
    Model ID: openai/gpt-5.5 for example (check Cloudflare AI Gateway model list)
    Context Length: Enter the model's context window (e.g., 1000000 for openai/gpt-5.5)
    Add Custom Model dialog in TypingMind filled in for openai/gpt-5.5

  3. Set up authentication

    In the "Authentication" tab, set the connection details:

    API Type: OpenAI Chat Completions API
    Endpoint URL: https://gateway.ai.cloudflare.com/v1/<ACCOUNT_ID>/<GATEWAY_ID>/compat/chat/completions

    Example: https://gateway.ai.cloudflare.com/v1/38cms9x0cms9jg7239fdsc8c8cccd/typingmind/compat/chat/completions

    Authentication Type: API Key via HTTP Header
    Header Key: Authorization
    Header Value: Bearer <CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN>
    Cloudflare AI Gateway authentication settings in TypingMind

  4. Add pricing (optional)

    Open the "Pricing" tab and enter the model's input, output, and cache prices per 1M tokens so TypingMind can estimate your usage costs.

    Pricing settings in TypingMind for openai/gpt-5.5

  5. Check the capabilities

    In the "Capabilities" tab, keep "Auto check capabilities on save" on so TypingMind detects supported features like plugins, image input, and thinking, or enable them manually.

    Custom model capabilities settings in TypingMind

  6. Route requests via TypingMind Cloud

    Cloudflare AI Gateway doesn't accept requests directly from the browser. Open the "Request Options" tab and turn on "Route requests via TypingMind Cloud".

  7. Test and save

    Click "Test & Save" to verify the connection and add the model.

III. Start Chatting with Cloudflare AI Gateway models

Now you can start chatting with Cloudflare AI Gateway models through TypingMind:

  • Select Cloudflare AI Gateway models from the model dropdown menu
  • Start typing your message in the chat input
  • Enjoy faster responses and better features than the official interface
  • Switch between different AI models as needed
Chat with Cloudflare AI Gateway models on TypingMind

💡 Pro tips for better results:

IV. Monitor Your AI Usage and Costs

One of the biggest advantages of using API keys with TypingMind is cost transparency and control. Unlike fixed subscriptions, you pay only for what you actually use. Visit your Cloudflare AI Gateway usage dashboard to monitor your API usage and set spending limits.

💡 Cost-saving tips:
  • Use less expensive models for simple tasks
  • Keep prompts concise but specific to reduce token usage
  • Use TypingMind's prompt caching to reduce repeat costs (How to enable prompt caching)
  • Using RAG (retrieval-augmented generation) for large documents to reduce repeat costs (How to use RAG)
TypingMindCloudflare AI Gateway

Why TypingMind + Cloudflare AI Gateway?

Chat with Cloudflare AI Gateway models and 200+ other models in one workspace, using your own Cloudflare AI Gateway API key.

Best-in-class UI

TypingMind's interface is far superior to standard chat UIs.

Model flexibility

Switch between Cloudflare AI Gateway models and 200+ models instantly.

Cost control

Pay only for what you use through Cloudflare AI Gateway.

One-time purchase

Buy TypingMind once, use forever with any Cloudflare AI Gateway model.

Data privacy

Your conversations are stored locally by default, not on external servers.

Plugins, MCP, Skills & AI agents

Extend Cloudflare AI Gateway models with web search, image generation, and custom AI agents.

Try TypingMind for free

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a subscription to use Cloudflare AI Gateway with TypingMind?

No. With your own Cloudflare AI Gateway API key, you pay only for what you use, with no monthly subscription. TypingMind is also a one-time purchase, not a subscription.

How much does the Cloudflare AI Gateway API cost?

Cloudflare AI Gateway charges per token, and prices vary by model. For example, openai/gpt-5.5 costs $5/1M input tokens and $30/1M output tokens. A typical conversation costs around $0.01-0.10, depending on the model and length.

Which Cloudflare AI Gateway models can I use in TypingMind?

Any model your Cloudflare AI Gateway API key can access. You can switch between Cloudflare AI Gateway models and models from other providers in the same TypingMind chat.

Is my data private when using Cloudflare AI Gateway with TypingMind?

TypingMind stores your conversations locally (in your browser on the web version, on your device in the desktop app). Your messages are sent to Cloudflare AI Gateway with your API key, so check Cloudflare AI Gateway's data policy for how it handles API requests.