About Hugging Face

Hugging Face is the leading open-source AI platform and community hub, providing access to hundreds of thousands of models, datasets, and AI applications through its Inference Providers API.

The platform offers a unified OpenAI-compatible API endpoint (router.huggingface.co) that routes requests to multiple inference providers including Cerebras, Fireworks, Groq, Nebius, Novita, SambaNova, Together AI, and more, giving you access to top open-source models like Llama, Mistral, DeepSeek, Qwen, and Gemma.

Key features include pay-per-token pricing with free tier access, support for text generation, image generation, and multimodal models, seamless switching between inference providers, and integration with the broader Hugging Face ecosystem of tools and libraries.

Step by step guide to use Hugging Face API Key to chat with AI

I. Get Your Hugging Face API Key

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

  1. Go to huggingface.co and create a free account if you don't have one.

  2. Open your Access Tokens settings and click + Create new token.

  3. Select Fine-grained as the token type and give it a name, for example typingmind. Under Inference, enable Make calls to Inference Providers. The other Inference permissions are only needed for dedicated Inference Endpoints.

    Create Hugging Face access token with Inference permissions

  4. Click Create token and copy the token. This is your <HF_TOKEN>.

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 Hugging Face API Key on TypingMind

Once you have your Hugging Face 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-oss-120b via Hugging Face (or your preferred name)
    Model ID: openai/gpt-oss-120b for example (check Hugging Face model list)
    Context Length: Enter the model's context window (e.g., 131072 for openai/gpt-oss-120b)
    Add Custom Model dialog in TypingMind filled in for openai/gpt-oss-120b

  3. Set up authentication

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

    API Type: OpenAI Chat Completions API
    Endpoint URL: https://router.huggingface.co/v1/chat/completions
    Authentication Type: API Key via HTTP Header
    Header Key: Authorization
    Header Value: Bearer <HF_TOKEN>
    Hugging Face 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-oss-120b

  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. Test and save

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

III. Start Chatting with Hugging Face models

Now you can start chatting with Hugging Face models through TypingMind:

  • Select Hugging Face 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 Hugging Face 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 Hugging Face 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)
TypingMindHugging Face

Why TypingMind + Hugging Face?

Chat with Hugging Face models and 200+ other models in one workspace, using your own Hugging Face API key.

Best-in-class UI

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

Model flexibility

Switch between Hugging Face models and 200+ models instantly.

Cost control

Pay only for what you use through Hugging Face.

One-time purchase

Buy TypingMind once, use forever with any Hugging Face model.

Data privacy

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

Plugins, MCP, Skills & AI agents

Extend Hugging Face models with web search, image generation, and custom AI agents.

Try TypingMind for free

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a subscription to use Hugging Face with TypingMind?

No. With your own Hugging Face 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 Hugging Face API cost?

Hugging Face charges per token, and prices vary by model. For example, openai/gpt-oss-120b costs $0.25/1M input tokens and $0.69/1M output tokens. A typical conversation costs around $0.01-0.10, depending on the model and length.

Which Hugging Face models can I use in TypingMind?

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

Is my data private when using Hugging Face 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 Hugging Face with your API key, so check Hugging Face's data policy for how it handles API requests.