Use NeverMetered with Cursor

Use the gateway for Cursor chat through its OpenAI base URL override.

OpenAI Chat

Model

qwen3.8-27b

8,192 max output tokens on the free planReplace YOUR_API_KEY with your key.

1
Create an API key
Create a key in API keys and name it after the tool, for example “Cursor”. A dedicated key per tool lets you see its usage separately and give it its own parallel-stream cap. The key is shown once; the snippets below use YOUR_API_KEY where it goes.
2
Override the OpenAI base URL
In Cursor, open Settings → Models. Under the API keys section, enter your key as the OpenAI API key, turn on Override OpenAI Base URL and paste:
```
https://api.nevermetered.com/v1
```
3
Add the model
Add a custom model with exactly this name and make sure it's enabled:
```
qwen3.8-27b
```
4
Verify it works
If Cursor shows a Verify button, use it. Then select the model in chat and send a message. The request shows up in Requests within a few seconds, with its input, cached and output tokens.

Tips

Cursor sends custom-key requests from its own servers, so the base URL must be reachable from the internet. A localhost or VPN-only address won't work.
Custom API keys don't power every Cursor feature. Tab completion, for example, runs on Cursor's own models, and some agent features may need a Cursor plan.

Troubleshooting

Other models stop working after the override: The override applies to every OpenAI-style model in Cursor. Turn it off when you want Cursor's built-in OpenAI models back.
404 model_not_found: Use a model id exactly as GET /v1/models lists it, for example qwen3.8-27b. Plans can restrict which models a key may call.
429 concurrency_limit_exceeded: All your parallel streams are busy and your queue allowance is full. Lower the tool's parallelism (subagents, batch size), or get more streams on your plan.
Answers stop mid-sentence: The response hit your plan's output cap of 8,192 tokens (finish reason length or max_tokens). Ask for shorter steps, or upgrade for a higher cap.
403 email_verification_required: Free requests need a verified email. Click the link in your verification email (you can resend it from the dashboard), or upgrade.
429 daily_quota_exceeded: You've used today's free requests; agents send one request per step, so they go quickly. The allowance resets at 00:00 UTC, and paid plans have no daily limit.
503 / 504 request_queue_timeout: The service stayed busy longer than the queue timeout and nothing was generated. Retry with backoff, and give the tool a generous request timeout.