NeverMetered
Get API key

Use NeverMetered with Cursor

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

OpenAI Chat
Model
qwen3.8-27b
128K context on the free plan65,536 max output tokens on the free planReplace YOUR_API_KEY with your key.
  1. 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. 2

    Install Cursor

    Already have Cursor? Skip this step. Download it from cursor.com/downloads (macOS, Windows or Linux), install it and open it once.

  3. 3

    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
  4. 4

    Add the model

    Add a custom model with exactly this name and make sure it's enabled:

    qwen3.8-27b
  5. 5

    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.
400 context_length_exceeded
The conversation outgrew the 128K context window (input + output). Let the tool compact or start a fresh session, or get a larger window on your plan.
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 65,536 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.
503 service_unavailable
No GPU capacity is online at the moment. It's temporary and your setup is fine: retry in a little while, and check the status page.