The problem with most AI credits
On most platforms, credit is attached to your own account and billing. You cannot peel off twenty dollars and hand it to a friend. Sharing an API key technically works but exposes your spending and is hard to revoke.
What good gifted credit looks like
- The recipient gets their own isolated, funded key.
- The value is a clear dollar balance, not opaque tokens.
- No subscription and no recurring charge.
- It works across many models and compatible tools.
How to do it with Boon
- Choose an amount and add a note.
- Email the gift or share the redemption link.
- They redeem and receive their own funded key.
- They paste it into a supported tool and start.
A safety note
Never share your personal API key as a gift. It ties your billing to someone else and is difficult to limit. Giving an independent, funded key avoids all of that.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between credits and a subscription?
Credit is a prepaid balance you spend as you go. A subscription is a recurring charge for one product. Credit is more flexible to gift.
Do the credits expire?
Boon gift cards never expire sooner than five years from purchase.
What tools can they use?
Any tool that accepts an OpenRouter-compatible key, including chat and coding tools.
Is Boon affiliated with any model provider?
No. Boon is independent of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and OpenRouter.