# OpenAI API: account creation and management guide

This guide walks you through the complete process of creating an OpenAI account, setting up payment methods, managing spending limits, and creating API keys for integration with [AIsuru](https://www.aisuru.com/).

## 1. Registering on the OpenAI platform

To get started, you'll need to create an account on the OpenAI platform:

1. Visit [platform.openai.com](https://platform.openai.com/);
2. Click "Sign up" to create a new account (even if you already have a ChatGPT account, you still need to register separately);
3. Enter your email address and create a password;
4. Verify your email address by clicking the link you'll receive;
5. Complete the required information for your profile.

## 2. OpenAI: setting up billing

After creating your account, you'll need to set up billing details for business use:

1. Log in to your OpenAI account;
2. Go to the [billing section](http://platform.openai.com/settings/organization/billing/preferences);
3. Fill in all required fields with your personal or company information:
4. Company Name;
5. Billing email (this will receive invoices);
6. Full address;
7. Business tax ID (VAT number — for EU users, select IT VAT and enter your VAT number with the IT prefix included).
8. Click "Save" to confirm your information.

## 3. How to add a payment method for OpenAI

To use OpenAI services, you need to add a payment method:

1. From the dashboard, go to the [Billing](https://platform.openai.com/settings/organization/billing/overview) section;
2. Click "Add payment details";
3. Enter your card details (credit or debit) and continue.

Note: Currently, only credit or debit cards are accepted. Make sure your card is enabled for international payments in USD (the currency used by OpenAI) and authorized for online purchases.

## 4. Buying credits on OpenAI

To start using OpenAI services, you need to purchase prepaid credits:

1. Log in to your OpenAI account and go to the [Billing section](https://platform.openai.com/settings/organization/billing/overview);
2. Click "Add to credit balance" or "Buy credits";
3. Enter the desired amount (at least $5 USD) and confirm;
4. Follow the instructions to complete the payment using the method you added earlier.

Note: Purchased credits are valid for one year and are non-refundable.

### Auto-recharge

To avoid service interruptions, you can set up **auto-recharge**:

1. In the "Billing" section, enable the "Auto-recharge" option;
2. Set the amount to recharge automatically and the threshold below which the recharge will be triggered.

This ensures your account always has enough credits for continuous use of OpenAI services.

## 5. OpenAI: how to set spending limits

To control costs and prevent unexpected charges, it's a good idea to set spending limits:

1. Go to the [Limits section](http://platform.openai.com/settings/organization/limits) of your organization;
2. In the "Usage limits" section:
3. Set a Budget Alert under "Set a Budget Alert" → the admin will receive a notification when that spending threshold is reached;
4. Set a budget limit to cap API spending (you can set it at 2x your average monthly usage).
5. Click Save.

Activating the budget limit will automatically prevent further charges once the configured threshold is reached. The limit can be changed at any time, and you can also set limits for individual projects.

## 6. Creating an OpenAI API key

To use OpenAI services with [AIsuru](https://www.aisuru.com/), you need to create an API key:

1. Go to the [API Keys section of your organization](https://platform.openai.com/settings/organization/api-keys);
2. Click "Create new key" →
   1. Owned by You;
   2. Give the key a descriptive name (e.g. "AIsuru");
   3. Assign it to a "project";
   4. Permissions → All.
3. Click "Create secret key" and **immediately copy the API key shown** and store it somewhere safe. You won't be able to view it again later.

Note: when generating your very first API key on an account, OpenAI requires phone number verification.

## 7. Managing OpenAI projects

OpenAI lets you organize your work into separate projects, each with its own API keys:

1. From the dashboard, go to the "Projects" section;
2. Click "New project";
3. Give the project a name;
4. Once the project is created, you can generate API keys specific to that project following the same steps as in section 6.

Creating separate projects is useful for:

* Tracking usage across different initiatives or departments;
* Setting project-specific spending limits (or rate limits);
* Revoking access to specific projects/clients without affecting others.

## 8. Managing organization members on OpenAI

To collaborate with other members of your team within your OpenAI organization:

* Access the Members section:
* From the dashboard, go to Settings > Members.
  * Add a new member:
  * Click Invite members;
  * Enter the email address of the member you want to invite;
  * Assign a role:
    * Owner: can manage the organization, members, billing, and usage limits.
    * Reader: can use the API under the organization's name but cannot manage settings. A Reader can invite other users as Readers in the organization.
* Click Send invite to send the invitation.

## 9. Rate limits and tiers with OpenAI

OpenAI enforces usage limits to ensure fair use of resources:

* **Tier limits**: each tier has specific requests-per-minute and tokens-per-minute limits. You can view the details for each tier in [OpenAI's documentation](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/rate-limits/usage-tiers#usage-tiers).
* **Tier upgrade**: if you need limits beyond what's automatically achievable — for example, for very large enterprise use cases — you'll need to submit an increase request via the Usage Limits page (click "Need help?" and fill out the form). The OpenAI team will review the request and may approve a higher tier.

## Next steps

After completing your OpenAI account setup:

1. Copy the API key you created;
2. Log in to your [AIsuru](https://www.aisuru.com/) dashboard;
3. Use the API key to [create a new model on the platform](/en/generative-ai/advanced/create-and-manage-model-configurations.md).


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