How to get a Google Gemini API key
Google Gemini has one of the more generous free tiers of any provider — worth trying if you want to use your own key without committing to a paid plan first.
Steps
Go to Google AI Studio
Open aistudio.google.com/apikey and sign in with your Google account.
Create an API key
Click Create API key. If asked, pick or create a Google Cloud project — any name works, it's just a container for the key.
Copy it
Your key (it starts with AIza) is shown right away and stays visible in the list, unlike some providers — you can always come back and copy it again later.
Upgrade billing if you need more than the free tier
The free tier has real rate limits. If you outgrow it, link a billing account under the same Cloud project from the AI Studio billing page.
Now add it to TalkingSheet
Open the add-on sidebar → Settings → turn on Use my own API key → pick Google Gemini → paste your key → Save. Your key stays in your own Google account's storage — it never touches TalkingSheet's servers. See how BYOK works for details.