rancid tinsel
Hi Cursor team and community,
I'm experiencing a persistent issue while trying to use OpenRouter as my API provider (BYOK) on the Cursor Free plan. Even though I have a valid API key with prepaid credits (20€), I am unable to use any custom models. I keep getting the error: "Free plans can only use Auto".
My Technical Configuration:
• API Provider: OpenAI (configured for OpenRouter)
• Base URL Override: https://openrouter.ai/api/v1 (verified, no trailing slash)
• API Key: Correct and active OpenRouter key (sk-or-v1-...)
• Custom Model Added: anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet
• Toggles: Both "OpenAI API Key" and "Override OpenAI Base URL" are switched ON.
Troubleshooting steps already taken:
- Model Management: I have manually turned OFF all default Cursor models (Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4o, etc.) to ensure Cursor doesn't try to use its own subscription path.
- Account Refresh: Logged out and back into my Cursor account, restarted the application multiple times.
- Model Naming: Tried various model ID formats (anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet, anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet:beta).
- Chat Testing: The issue occurs in both the normal Chat (Cmd+L) and the Composer (Cmd+I).
The Problem:
Cursor seems to completely ignore the external API key and forces the "Free Plan" restrictions on the account, even when the request should be routed to OpenRouter. It feels like the "Auto" model logic is overriding the BYOK settings.
Specific Question:
Is the use of external keys now hard-locked for Free users on certain models? Or is there a specific way to stop the "Auto" model logic from hijacking requests intended for an external API?
I’ve invested in OpenRouter credits specifically to use them with Cursor. I would appreciate any guidance on how to fix this "Auto" model loop.
slim dagger